A Glasgow court, today heard, how Slovakian national, Marek Harcar, accused of raping and murdering businesswoman, Moira Jones, “forcibly damaged” her clothing. Moira Jones’s body was discovered in Glasgow lying face down with her clothes torn.

The body of Ms Jones, aged 40, was found in Queens Park by the park ranger on May 29th 2008.

Glasgow High Court was told by police forensic scientist, Carol Weston, how DNA matching Harcar’s was found on Ms Jones’s ripped coat and trousers. She told the court that the “extensive damage” to Ms Jones’s clothing “would support an assertion that this clothing has been forcibly damaged by Marek Harcar”.

She went on to tell the court that the victims black leg trousers, which were shown to jurors, had been torn from the fly down to the left leg.

Harcar’s DNA had also been found on these trousers and on the victims bra, which had also been ripped apart. “It would lead us to conclude that something consistent with Marek Harcar touching or pulling on the bra in these areas happened.”

“What we can say is it’s consistent with his (Harcar’s) DNA being deposited on that area of the jacket which could be a consequence of him touching or pulling at that area of the jacket,” Mrs Weston said.

Forensics also found and tested a grey blouse worn by Ms Jones which had six out nine buttons missing. Mrs Weston explained the lower area of the blouse had been “ripped completely”, and told the court that in her 11 years as a forensic scientist, “I do not think I have seen one quite so badly torn.”

Slovakian national Marek Harcar, from Slovakia has denied raping and murdering Ms  Jones, and also denied attempting to flee the UK last year, when he was discovered in the Czech Republic. easyDNA provide answers to all your forensic questions about DNA analysis. For more information, contact us directly via email or call one of our offices worldwide.

April 2009