Brain and bone found on bed in Randa Kamblawi's flat

BLOOD, bone and brain matter were found on the pillow and duvet cover from student Randa Kamblawi's bed after her body was found in the bath at her Edinburgh home, a jury has heard.

The DNA profile from the fragments matched the 34-year-old's DNA, forensic scientist Nicola Martin told the High Court in Perth.

Mrs Kamblawi's husband Yahya Babiker is on trial for his wife's murder at the home they shared in Nicolson Street on 19 or 20 October last year.

Ms Martin told the court that heavy blood staining was found on several items of bedding as well as on items of clothing that were worn by Babiker.

She said there was blood staining present in the bedroom, the hallway and in the bathroom where the body was found, and it appeared some attempt had been made to clean up.

"There was a large distribution of blood in the bedroom," she said. "On the peach pillow there was what appeared to be brain matter."

She added that a piece of bone was found on the duvet cover and that bloodstaining in the bedroom suggested something made an impact into the wet blood.

"The distribution of blood staining and the pattern looked as if there had been at least one impact into wet blood near the head of the bed.

"There were indications of attempts to clean up in the bedroom, the hallway and the bathroom."

Babiker denies murdering his wife by repeatedly hitting her with a claw hammer and claimed to police that she had slipped in the bath and hit her head on the taps twice.

Ms Martin said: "The presence of a substance appearing to be brain matter, and the pattern of blood staining provide support for that pillow being close to Randa Kamblawi when she sustained a head injury."

Babiker told police he had caught a flight to London and spent several hours walking around before taking a bus back to Edinburgh and telling his in-laws where he was.

The 45-year-old Sudanese national told officers he had pushed his wife back in the bath when she said the water was cold and she had fallen over and hit her head.

He claimed during the interview with detectives that she had got back up and then slipped and hit her head a second time.

Babiker denied washing blood from walls, floors and furniture in the flat.

He also denied disposing of the murder weapon at an unknown location, and telling Fathia Babiker at Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh, that his wife was ill and asking her to look after the children.

He denies dumping her blood-soaked body in the bath and failing to report her death to delay the possibility of the police investigating and gathering evidence.

He also denies hampering any probe into the murder by taking a taxi to Edinburgh Airport and trying to buy a one-way ticket to Paris.

The trial, before Lady Stacey, continues.