Murder accused's DNA 'on victim'

10 October 2012 Last updated at 12:37 ET

DNA representing a one-in-a-billion match to that of a retired teacher and the man accused of her murder was found on her hand, a court has heard.

A "full DNA profile" of Stephen Farrow, 48, was found on a swab taken from the back of Betty Yates's left hand following the discovery of her body.

Farrow denies the murders of Mrs Yates, in Worcestershire, and the Rev John Suddards, in South Gloucestershire.

He claims he saw 77-year-old Mrs Yates two days before she was killed.

She was found stabbed to death in her cottage, in Bewdley, on 4 January, having been killed two days earlier.

Farrow, of no fixed address, claims he saw Mrs Yates on 30 December, but Bristol Crown Court heard the location the DNA sample was found would make it "extremely rare" to get such a strong profile days later.

Forensic scientist Christopher McKenzie told the jury: "The DNA profile obtained showed a mixture of DNA from two people which matched the corresponding DNA profiles of Mrs Yates and Stephen Farrow.

"We found that it is a billion times more likely to have come from Betty Yates and Stephen Farrow than from Betty Yates and someone other than Stephen Farrow."

Mr McKenzie said given the strength of the DNA profile he would expect there to have been either direct physical contact between Mrs Yates and Farrow or for it to have come from a bodily fluid - potentially saliva or sweat.

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Murder accused's DNA 'on victim'