DNA From Accused Teen Found On Six-Year-Old Alesha MacPhail’s Body

DNA matching a teenage boy accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl was found on her body and clothes, a court has heard.

Forensic scientist Stuart Bailey said DNA found on Alesha MacPhail’s neck, private parts, shorts and vest is more than one billion times more likely to be from the accused than someone unrelated to him.

Giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow, he said DNA traces which could be from the accused were also found on Alesha’s thighs, wrists, right hand, ankles, face, underarms and areas of bruising, as well as her pants.

This could be explained by the 16-year-old coming into contact with these areas of her body and clothes.

Bailey said semen from the accused was found inside Alesha.

He said an explanation for this was intercourse but the defence suggestion that the accused’s semen was “planted” there was scientifically possible.

Questioned if the accused’s DNA could have been found on Alesha though secondary transfer from a third party, Bailey said: “I can’t rule it out but I find it highly unlikely given the amount of DNA attributed to [the accused].”