Bulger trial told of blood on boys' shoes

BLOOD found on the shoes of two 10-year-old boys matched that of James Bulger, the two-year-old child they are charged with murdering, Preston Crown Court was told yesterday.

Graham Jackson, a Home Office forensic scientist, said tests using DNA, the genetic material, suggested a probability of only one in a billion (1,000 million) that blood spots and smears on boy B's toecaps could have come from someone other than James. Too little blood was found for DNA testing of stains on boy A's shoes.

The blood was from the group that James shared with 23 per cent of the population, but not with either A or B.

Mr Jackson was asked if there was any significance that there would appear to be more blood on the shoes of one defendant than the other - in view of the fact they did not come into police possession until nearly a week after. He said it was difficult to say without knowing the history of the shoes in the intervening period.

The two boys, who may not be named for legal reasons, deny the abduction and murder of James and the attempted abduction of another child. James's body was found on 14 February on a railway line at Walton, Liverpool, two days after he went missing during a shopping trip with his mother.

Mr Jackson found traces of blood, hair and paint on clothing and footwear belonging to the accused. Samples matched with James, his clothing, and the vicinity in which his body was found.

He said the sequence of events leading to the killing probably began when model-making paint was spilt on the toddler. He was then attacked with more than one brick, bled profusely, was moved across the rails, and partially buried beneath more bricks.

The trial continues today.