World’s End trial: Girls ‘tied up by two people’

Christine Eadie, left, and Helen Scott, as the trial of Angus Sinclair, who is accused of killing the two teenagers in 1977, continues. Picture: PA

The High Court in Livingston heard the bindings used on Christine Eadie “showed different knot-tying characteristics” to those on Helen Scott.

Witness Roger Ide said the findings indicate the victims had been tied up by two different people – although he explained it did not represent strong evidence of that.

The evidence emerged on the sixth day of the trial of Angus Sinclair, 69.

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He denies raping and murdering the 17-year-olds, last seen at Edinburgh’s World’s End pub on 15 October, 1977.

Sinclair is accused of carrying out the attacks with brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, now dead.

Mr Ide, 72, now retired, prepared a report for the court in May this year after being asked to look at various ligatures used to bind the two girls. His report, read to the jury, concluded: “The bindings to Christine Eadie showed different knot-tying characteristics to those used to secure Helen Scott.

“This indicates the two victims had been tied by two different people, but it does not provide strong evidence to this effect.”

During his evidence, the court heard how two reef knots – said to be a more uncommon form of knot – were found on the bindings on Miss Eadie’s body.

Mr Ide said it appeared she was tied by someone more skilled in tying knots.

He told the court: “I’ve looked at many bindings to victims of different sorts over many years and you sort of recognise the handwriting, almost.

“I can’t be certain but it looks to me as if Christine Eadie was tied by someone that knew a little bit more about what he was doing than Helen Scott.

“None of the knots used to secure Helen Scott were skilful at all. Two of the knots on Christine Eadie were the same [as each other], a more skilful knot.”

He went on: “Someone may have thought it out a bit, known a bit about what he was doing.”

He stressed that his findings should not be overstated. “My concern is that everybody watches CSI programmes and they see forensic scientists provide conclusive evidence,” he said. “I don’t want to overstate the strength of my evidence. But I think it’s likely that the two were tied by different people, but I can’t be sure about that.”

In Miss Eadie’s case, the witness also described how her wrists were bound in a way similar to when handcuffs are used.

“It indicates she wasn’t willing to be tied,” he told the court.

Jurors have previously heard Miss Eadie’s body was found at around 2:25pm on 16 October, 1977, at Gosford Bay, Aberlady, and Miss Scott’s body was discovered at around 6pm in a field near Haddington, East Lothian.

Sinclair denies the charges and has submitted special defences of: incrimination, blaming his brother-in-law; alibi, saying he was fishing near Cockenzie power station; and consent to sexual intercourse.

The trial continues.

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