PC used to access internet porn on day that Jodi died

The High Court in Edinburgh today heard that someone using the computer visited a series of sex websites during the early evening of June 30, 2003.

A password-protected internet account paid for by Shane Mitchell had accessed the pages.

The court heard evidence from Detective Inspector William Cravens from the National High Tech Crime Unit, based at Newbridge, who had been called in by Lothian and Borders Police to examine the device following the killing of the Dalkeith schoolgirl.

DI Cravens said that he had used forensic software to determine that the computer had been used to access the internet between around 4.53pm and 5.16pm on June 30.

He added that 131 files had been created on the computer’s hard drive during the internet session.

Prosecutor Alan Turnbull asked him if the files could be retrieved. DI Cravens replied that he had retrieved the files and they were of a "pornographic nature".

Mr Turnbull asked if there were other pornographic images on the computer. Detective Inspector Cravens replied: "There were a lot of pornographic images."

The court heard that the final image which had been accessed before the internet session was ended depicted a man who had been digitally altered so his lower half was that of a naked female.

Defence solicitor Donald Findlay asked DI Cravens if the image was pornographic. He replied: "To an extent. It’s a very odd picture."

Mr Findlay said the image was a "bad taste joke" and asked for the image to be displayed to the court.

He added that the image had in fact been downloaded from a motoring website and that many of the other websites that had been accessed referred to automobiles.

Mr Findlay said: "Not all the sites were pornographic. Many were car-related."

The police report confirmed that the time on Shane Mitchell’s computer was accurate.

It also stated that an internet connection had been open between 4.53pm and 5.16pm on the day Jodi was killed. DI Cravens explained to the court that the internet files which had been accessed were automatically saved on to the hard drive.

He was able to access these files after obtaining the encrypted password from Lothian and Borders Police.

But Mr Findlay queried whether all the pornographic websites which had been stored on the hard drive had actually been opened by the computer’s user. He said that pop-ups often redirect people to alternative sites which may have contained sexual images.

Luke Mitchell, now aged 16, denies striking Jodi with a knife, before and after she died, inflicting wounds to her face, breast and abdomen. It is also alleged that Mitchell tied Jodi’s arms.

He claims that at the time he was in, or near, his home at 203 Newbattle Abbey Crescent, Dalkeith, and that Jodi was murdered by person or persons unknown.

Mitchell also denies charges of possessing knives in public places and being concerned in the supply of cannabis resin to other school pupils - including Jodi.

Last week, the court was told that there were "major similarities" between the schoolgirl’s death and the killing of a Hollywood starlet nearly 60 years ago.

Police carrying out research on internet sites relating to shock rocker Marilyn Manson as part of the murder investigation discovered paintings by the musician depicting the horrific murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947.

Pathologist Anthony Busuttil, 59, who carried out the autopsy on Jodi, said there were "major similarities" between the two killings.

The trial continues.