Edward Meenan murder trial told of blood stains on accused’s clothing

Derek Creswell (29), of Kings Lane in Ballykelly, Sean Rodgers (34), of no fixed abode, and Ryan Walters (22), of Station Park, Crossgar, deny murdering Mr Meenan on November 25, 2018.

All three also deny wounding a friend of Mr Meenan on the same date.

Dr Claire Carroll told day four of the trial that she examined the scene at 20 Creggan Street at 12.25pm on the day the body was found.

The scientist said she found various blood samples in the kitchen of the house, on walls, on a chair and in the rear hallway leading to the backyard.

In the yard, she said she found further blood stains some of which were ‘consistent with the movement of an item wet with blood’.

She added that analysis of blood found on a washing line pole in the back yard revealed matches to blood belonging to Edward Meenan

Samples taken from a sewer rod and a bat also found in the yard also revealed blood belonging to the deceased.

Dr Carroll said she also examined items of clothing attributed to the accused Creswell and found blood on a Celtic top, track suit bottoms, trainers and a hoodie.

The scientist said that, on some of these, she found ‘a major DNA profile belonging to Edward Meenan’.

Regarding the trainers, she said there was evidence of ‘extensive contact with wet blood’.

The court was also told that blood found on trainers belonging to the accused Walters could be linked to Edward Meenan.

Earlier, the trial heard that a fire in one of the accused’s mother’s yard was due to the burning of a bed.

A Detective Constable told the court that he visited Sean Rodgers’ mother’s house hours after the killing. He said that, initially, he was unaware that Rodgers and Creswell were in the house when he arrived.

The officer said he went to the yard of the house and saw evidence of a fire.

The court heard that the officer spoke to both Rodgers and Creswell but that Rodgers did most of the talking while Creswell just agreed.

Rodgers told the officer that his sister had got a new bed and, as they were unable to dispose of the old one, himself and Creswell had burnt the old one in the yard and they had ‘a couple of cans’ while doing so.

The court heard that police asked both men about their whereabouts the night before and Rodgers said the two of them had been drinking in his flat and, then, at about 7am, they walked over to his mother’s to get ‘food and a cup of tea’.

The officer said he thought both men were ‘distant and distracted’ which he put down to ‘drink or drugs’.

The trial continues.