Evidence To Be Reviewed As Attracta's Killer Appeals

While lawyers for the killer of a Strabane woman have told a court that DNA evidence used to link him to his victim is now "questionable", the victim's husband has said he is outraged and disgusted that there is now to be a review of the evidence in the case.

An appeal judge has ordered an independent review of forensic evidence used to convict Trevor Hamilton of the murder of Strabane woman, Attracta Harron

The killer's appeal against his conviction was due to begin on February 11 but on Friday Lord Chief Justice Brian Kerr ruled that the appeal be removed from the list in order to allow Hamilton's defence to conduct an independent review of the Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA evidence submitted by the Crown prosecution during the trial.

Using LCN DNA evidence, the jury of six men and six women were told that the chance that blood found in the footwell of Hamilton's car belonged to somebody other than Mrs Harron was one billion to one.

The controversial use of LCN DNA as evidence was recently highlighted during the trial of Sean Hoey, who was acquitted of the murder of the 29 people killed in the Omagh bomb.

Clearing Hoey of any wrongdoing, Mr Justice Weir attacked the low-copy, or low-template, method of gathering DNA evidence as "potentially unreliable and lacking validity."

On Friday the Court of Appeal in Belfast was told that Professor Jameson of Glasgow Forensic Institute has been instructed and will re-examine the forensic exhibits at both the English and Northern Irish forensic laboratories.

Mr Justice Kerr, in the presence of Mrs Harron's husband Michael and the police officers who investigated the murder, stated that due to the tragic circumstances of the case there should be finality as soon as possible.

However, the judge and prosecution agreed that the forensic investigation should be carried out.

Hamilton (24) abducted and murdered 65-year-old Attracta Harron, a retired librarian, when she was returning from Mass in Murlog, Lifford, County Donegal on December 11, 2003.

The body of the mother of five was found months later in a makeshift grave near Hamilton's home. She had been battered to death.

Four months before her disappearance Hamilton had been released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent rape and other offences, including threats to kill.

Michael Harron said last week that the police had informed him of the hearing, adding that he had a feeling it was going to come after events in the Omagh bomb trial.

"I am disgusted because they only had one witness for the defence, who was an expert in DNA and who ended up confirming that everything was ok."

"This is a waste of public court time and money. My family are all disgusted. When the appeal does come up there won't be a full family turnout for it this time.

"There is absolutely no doubt that Trevor Hamilton murdered Attracta. He is a vicious, violent pervert," added the Strabane man.

Trevor Hamilton is now serving life for the murder. Hamilton's appeal is expected to get under way in May.

(BMcC)