Fingerprints found among the wrappings of Vicky Hamilton�s mutilated corpse matched those of the man accused of murdering her, a trial heard yesterday.
Fingerprints found among the wrappings of Vicky Hamilton's mutilated corpse matched those of the man accused of murdering her, a trial heard yesterday.
Experts told the High Court in Dundee how they compared four prints left on a black plastic bag with samples detectives had taken from Peter Tobin.
The trial has heard how Vicky's body, cut in two, was dug from the back garden of a house in Margate, Kent, almost 17 years after she disappeared in Bathgate, West Lothian.
Tobin, 62, denies abducting Vicky on February 10, 1991, and taking her to his then home in Bathgate. It is alleged that he murdered the 15-year-old girl after drugging her and committing a sex act.
Tobin denies a second charge which alleges he buried Vicky's body parts to cover up the murder.
Yesterday, Kenneth Laing, of the Scottish Police Services Authority, described examining the third layer of the black bin bags which had covered the upper torso. He photographed his findings.
The photos were identified as WG1, WG2, WG3 and WG4 - using the initials of colleague William Galloway.
Solicitor general Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, then questioned fingerprint expert James Aitken.
"WG1 - whose is it?" asked Mr Mulholland.
"WG1 was identified as the right little finger from the fingerprint form bearing the name Peter Tobin," replied Mr Aitken.
He went on to tell the court that WG2 also matched the sample print from Tobin's right little finger, WG3 was the left ring finger and WG4 was the right middle finger.
Mr Mulholland asked if the finding of prints on the black plastic bag was consistent with Tobin having placed the bag containing the upper torso in the hole.
"I cannot comment further than contact had been made with the black plastic bag," Mr Aitken told him.
Defence QC Donald Findlay challenged: "What is in the plastic bag is, in that sense, neither here nor there."
Mr Aitken told the lawyer: "My role as fingerprint officer is purely to prepare the marks."
Peter Sibbald, a fingerprint expert, confirmed the matching of the prints.
Mr Findlay used courtroom water cups and plastic envelopes to back up his argument that his fingerprints could be taken somewhere he had never been and the containers then used by someone else "who was more careful".
He told the jury that if he handled a crowbar which was later found beside a safe which had been jemmied open, it did not mean he had broken open the safe.
Earlier, Detective Constable Ian Campbell, 39, told of Tobin's reaction when first confronted with the allegation that he had abducted Vicky.
"He replied Piss off'," said DC Campbell, describing how he had cautioned Tobin when he was brought to a police station to give fingerprint samples and a mouth swab for DNA testing.
Mr Findlay showed the officer a bizarre note claiming the schoolgirl had been killed and then buried in a gorge near a cottage. The note was linked to photos of women and girls in sexy poses, the court heard.
Photos of a young girl, claimed to be Vicky , lying on a bed and holding what appeared to be a whip, were shown to jurors. Mr Findlay has previously suggested the photos were taken by a man named Hugh Gunn.
The trial continues.
