DAY SIX - START
Hearing to recommence shortly
Todays proceedings in the trial are due to start at 10.30am.
Well bring you live updates from Chester Crown Court here.
10:17
Court to hear mobile phone 'cell site' evidence
The court is hearing from cell site expert Gregory Robinson this morning.
He has more than 30 years experience in telecoms. He has compiled a report for the court.
Cell site analysis uses historic data records of a particular mobile phone to discover its whereabouts.
He is explaining the process to the jury.
10:29
Focus on use of three phones
His evidence will focus on the use of three mobile phones, all of which were on the Vodafone network. All capable of 4G technology.
Most of the time, a mobile phone will use the nearest available cell site to transmit. If this is blocked it can use a cell site that is further away, he explains.
10:42
Cell site ranges differ in cities and in rural areas
Typical cell site ranges tend to be smaller in cities. In suburban areas cell site ranges are about two to three kilometres. They get bigger, and the distance between the cells become greater, the more rural an area becomes, Mr Robinson explains to the jury. There can also be areas with no signal in rural areas.
Now the court moves on to his evidence. This will focus on one phone used by Leanne McKie and two phones used by Darren McKie - his personal and work phones.
11:27
Analysis of 'data events' on mobiles phone
Asked by Nigel Power QC for the Crown if two phones on the same network, if used in the same place would use the same cell, Mr Robinson replies that this is something you would expect, by and large.
The court is now looking at data records from the three phones. Mr Robinson attended several key locations and measured which cells would provide service to phones. This includes the couples home and Paddock Hill Farm.
The court is now looking at a data connection made by Leanne McKies phone. These can happen for many reasons, not because the user has interacted with it, Mr Robinson explains.
At 1.08am there is a data event lasting 5hrs 45mins. This means the data session has been running for more than five hours.
Manchester Road was the cell site to begin with. This later moved to land off the A538. Mr Robinson says this could be because the phone found a better cell site.
The court is now looking at a map which includes Stretford Police Station and the home address. A call was made at 11.36, from Leanne McKies phone lasting 16 seconds.
Mr Robinson is being asked to look at the records from Mrs McKies phone from 11.37am onwards.
The data activity on it did not require anyone to have used it. When asked by the prosecution if the cell it used was one serving the home address he agrees.
11:43
Cell-site records on Darren McKie's phones examined
The court continues to look at maps correspond to which cells the three phones were using at points throughout the day on the 28th September.
The court is now looking at records from between 11.52am and 12.11pm on the 28th.
Both Darren McKies work and personal phones were using cells serving the home address.
Between 11.52am and 13.39 that work phone was using cells in and around Wilmslow.
Between 11.59 and 14.28 the personal phone was using the same cells.
Between 14.00 and 14.28, Darren McKies personal phone was using cells covering the home address.
The court is now taking a short break.
12:29
'Similar movement' shown by Leanne and Darren's phones
To recap, the prosecution is currently taking the expert witness, cell site analysis expert Gregory Robinson, through a series of maps which track the location of Leanne McKies phone, and Darren McKies work and personal phone, on September 28.
At 14.38 on Leanne McKies phone and at 14.42 on Darren McKies phone, there was a data event on both phones at Walton Farm.
Asked by the prosecution if this suggests that both phones were together, Mr Robinson said: It would certainly support similar movement by both of these phones.
12:58
Movements of phones described
The data suggests that Darren McKies phone was in the Wilmslow area from 14.50 to 22.42.
During the afternoon and evening of the same day, data connection suggests that Leanne McKies mobile phone was switched on. There was a long data connection that started at Walton Farm. There were incoming events such as text messages being received, during this time.
The majority of the cells which were used during this time served Burford Close. Between 22.43 and 12am, Darren McKies phone was using cells consistent with the phone being around Burford Close.
The data of Leanne McKies phone suggests it was not static between 22.43 and 22.47 and was moving away from Burford Close.
Between 22.48 and 22.50 Leanne McKies phone used three different cell sites within a few minutes, in an area to the west of Wilmslow.
13:08
Data suggests Leanne's phone remained at Paddock Hill Farm
When asked by the prosecution if that data suggested Leanne McKies phone had remained at Paddock Hill Farm, Mr Robinson agreed it did.
Mr Robinson said the data supported Darren McKies personal phone being at Burford Close from 12am to 5am.
The court proceedings are now breaking for lunch.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...-news/darren-mckie-murder-wife-trial-14368526
