A palm print moulded in blood on a dagger-type knife, found at the scene of a fatal stabbing, coincided with that of a man accused of murder, a jury in the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr John Paul Hayes, aged 22, of Belcamp Green, Coolock, Dublin has denied that on June 13th, 1999 he murdered Mr Francis Moore, aged 33, at his home in Coultry Road, Ballymun, Dublin.
Detective Garda Aiden Daly of the fingerprint division at the Garda Technical Bureau in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, told the court that a bloody palm mark which he found on the handle of "a dagger-knife" found at the scene of the killing was compared with prints from the accused and at least 12 of the characteristics examined coincided with a sequence of characteristics taken from the right palm of the accused.
Dr Dorothy Ramsbottom, of the Department of Justice Forensic Science Laboratory at the Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin said identical DNA profiles were obtained on the blade of the dagger-like knife, a Stanley knife and its handle. These matched the DNA profile of the deceased. The frequency of that occurrence in the Irish population is one in 35 million, she said.
The case before Mr Justice Murphy and a jury of seven women and five men will resume on Monday.