A defence theory put forward by the killer of good Samaritan mum Alison Wilson was today described as “extremely unlikely” by experts.
Stephen Duggan, 28, of no fixed abode, is alleged to have smashed a bottle over the head of Miss Wilson’s boyfriend, Anthony Tomlinson, before thrusting it into Miss Wilson’s neck.
Liverpool Crown Court today forensic experts cast doubt on a defence claim that Duggan swung a plastic bag, which contained the bottle of Echo Falls wine.
He admits manslaughter, wounding Mr Tomlinson and assaulting another woman, but denies murder.
Miss Wilson, 36, and Mr Tomlinson were attacked after stepping out of a taxi to intervene in a heated row Duggan and a young mum carrying a baby in a car seat on March 7, in Frank Street, Widnes .
Forensic scientist Robert Lewis said the presence of around 300 tiny fragments of glass found on Mr Tomlinson’s clothes were consistent with the bottle being smashed over his head, outside of a carrier bag.
Under questioning from Gordon Cole, QC, prosecuting, he told the jury: “In my opinion the findings provide very strong support to the proposition that the Echo Falls wine bottle used in the assault on Anthony Tomlinson and Alison Wilson had not been contained in a carrier bag at the time it was broken.”
Another expert witness, forensic scientist Geraldine Davidson, said the presence of Miss Wilson’s blood on shards of broken glass, and on the inside of the bottle neck, meant it was likely there was no bag between the glass and Miss Wilson.
She said: “The findings provide extremely strong support[…]that it was a bottle used by Stephen Duggan rather than a bottle inside a bag.”
Peter Birkett, QC, defending Duggan, highlighted evidence from a taxi driver who said Duggan was holding a carrier bag containing what appeared to be bottles.
Appearing via video-link from Spain yesterday, she told the jury: “He then swung the bag at [Mr Tomlinson] but the momentum carried it round and it hit [Miss Wilson].
“I don’t know if it hit the man but it definitely hit the lady, and she went straight down. Then she got up holding her face.”
Both expert witnesses accepted they had not been provided with the taxi driver’s statement when conducting their investigations.
The court today heard how doctors battled to save the life of mum-of-two Miss Wilson, who suffered two cardiac arrests and a stroke due to massive blood-loss.
Mr Tomlinson has told the court how he was knocked unconscious by Duggan and awoke to find Miss Wilson holding her neck, with a look of shock in her eyes.
Duggan also denies assaulting the baby, who fell from the car-seat sustaining injuries to its face.
(Proceeding)
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/