DNA of Australian journalist murder victim ‘found on dad’s knife’

Published on 24/11/2012 13:51

THE DNA of a murder victim and the man accused of killing him was found on a kitchen knife in the accused’s father’s kitchen, a court has heard.

THE DNA of a murder victim and the man accused of killing him was found on a kitchen knife in the accused’s father’s kitchen, a court has heard.

A jury was told that the odds of DNA taken from the sharp edge of the 152mm blade matching anyone other than the deceased, Australian journalist Thomas Graham Allwood, were 28.6 million to one, and that blood samples lifted from the handle and side of the blade were a billion-to-one match for 24-year-old Kyle Montgomery.

Montgomery, from Winchburgh, West Lothian, denies murdering Mr Allwood by stabbing him in the chest in Broxburn on June 21 this year.

Forensic scientist Kirsty McTurk, 33, yesterday told the High Court in Livingston that she had analysed blood spots taken from the murder scene and from the knife, which was in a drawer in Robert Montgomery’s home.

Ms McTurk said: “In our opinion, this is consistent with Kyle Montgomery having handled the knife, Thomas Allwood having been injured with the knife and the knife belonging to Robert Montgomery.”

The trial was adjourned until Monday.