Found Deceased UK - Lindsay Birbeck, 47, Accrington, 12 Aug 2019 *Arrest* #2

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand
12:30pm
Dr Carter says that in her opinion the cut to the leg could have been made using a saw

12:29pm
She is asked about injury to the arms and the dark patches to Lindsay's upper arms.

Mark Fenhalls QC for the defence, asks Dr Carter if the dark patches on the arms could have been made in self defence, and she says the dark patches could have been defence injuries but she cannot prove that this is bruising as the body was badly decomposed.

12:24pm
She explains that she has seen damage to the neck from compression but not like this

12:23pm
Dr Carter is being cross-examined by the defence

 

[jamjim]

12:33
Plastic found was 'indistinguishable'
The jury have heard evidence from a forensic specialist who said that plastic recovered from Lindsay Birbeck’s grave and the defendant’s home were ‘indistinguishable’.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand

12:33pm
She also says that the darker colouring of Lindsay's upper body is in keeping with her body being placed upside down in a wheelie bin - explaining that blood would have rushed to the upper part of the body had her body been stored like this.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

12:29
Forensic botanist evidence

The jury are now hearing evidence from forensic botanist Dr Mark Spencer who attended Accrington Cemetery on August 28 - four days after Lindsay’s body was found - and examined her grave.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

Now this stuff - forensic ecology - really interests me. Fascinating what they can find out when a body has been outside or even under water. There's a link in my profile posts if anyone is interested to learn more about how it helps solves crimes.

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand

12:34pm
Dr Carter has now left the witness box

12:34pm
Dr Carter also says that sexual activity cannot be ruled out although there is no clear evidence to suggest this

 

[Legally Bland]

12:29
Forensic botanist evidence

The jury are now hearing evidence from forensic botanist Dr Mark Spencer who attended Accrington Cemetery on August 28 - four days after Lindsay’s body was found - and examined her grave.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

This one has been updated:

12:29
Forensic botanist evidence
The jury are now hearing evidence from forensic botanist Dr Mark Spencer who attended Accrington Cemetery on August 28 - four days after Lindsay’s body was found - and examined her grave.

He said vegetation at the grave was pulled up ‘three to five days’ before August 25.

Dr Spencer said it was also possible that some of the vegetation may have been pulled up and placed on the grave on ‘different occasions’.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand

12:33pm
She also says that the darker colouring of Lindsay's upper body is in keeping with her body being placed upside down in a wheelie bin - explaining that blood would have rushed to the upper part of the body had her body been stored like this.

Lividity helps prove how a body was positioned at the time of death, and it's how they ascertain whether the person died in situ or has been moved post mortem.

Definition of lividity: the quality or state of being livid specifically : reddish- to bluish-purple discolouration of the skin due to the settling and pooling of blood following death

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand

12:37pm
The jury are now hearing facts from forensic botanist Dr Mark Spencer, who attended the cemetery after Lindsay's body was found.

He says the plastic bags taken from the cemetery where Lindsay's body was found, and plastic sheeting taken from the defendant's home address are indistinguishable.

He also says vegetation from the scene was pulled up, likely by hand, and could have been pulled up three to five days before August 25.

 

[Alyce]

Dr Carter said: “It suggests to me some sort of severe compressive force directed at the neck, either through stamping or kicking or kneeling on the front of the neck.”

Asking Dr Carter about the neck injuries, the defence barrister said: “You don’t know if it’s a consequence of kneeling or stamping or what?”

Dr Carter said the neck injuries were caused by ‘severe compressive force’ but couldn’t be more definitive.


So, she has used quite emotive words - stamping, kicking, kneeling - but when challenged by Defence QC, she has admitted she cannot say 100% if this was how the force was applied.

 

[jamjim]

12:42

Early lunch adjournment

The Judge has decided to adjourn early for lunch and resume the trial promptly at 2pm.

The jury have been told that there are still 26 pages of agreed facts to go through today.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues. Witnesses to take the stand

12:43pm
The jury is now leaving the courtroom

12:42pm
Evidence from forensic specialist Helen Jones echoes that of Dr Spencer's - that the plastic found at Lindsay's grave was indistinguishable from that found at the defendant's home address

12:38pm
The jury are now being shown images of the plastic sheeting found both at the cemetery and the defendant's home address.

 

[Rosegold68]

marks on upper arms....restraints? she would have had to have been incapacitated somehow, her arms would have needed restraining

 

[The Truth Is]

Yes good point, i just think that cause of death was either strangulation and/or severe pressure to the neck and the fact she was probably put in the bin upside down suggests the decomposition.

 

[MrEgg]

A lot of info that has come to light during the trial so far was speculated locally at the time. Off the top of my head I can’t remember all of them but things like attempting to cut off a limb, learning difficulties/autism, there was an audio recording of the unfortunate chap who found the body that matches what’s been revealed, a recording of the defendant appearing out of bushes near Burnley road etc

Many more that are probably just that; unfounded rumours. Time will tell

Thank you for clearing that up for me

 

[Angleterre]

It started on the 25th of Feb. 26th was the first day of evidence. Alot came out then. If u look in the local paper. Lancashire telegraph and lancs live it gives u a full run through as to what happened throughout the day. Goes into a lot of details. Today it starts at 10:30am so this is 2nd day of evidence. I'd love to go myself out of curiosity but I don't drive so couldn't get there.

Thank you

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues - evidence suggests neck was 'stamped or knelt on'

1:58pm
Court is due to re-start in the next few minutes

 

[jamjim]

14:11
Defendant not in court this afternoon
The defendant will not be in the court dock this afternoon as the trial resumes.

Defence barrister Mark Fenhalls QC said he does not need to be present to hear the ‘agreed facts’ between the prosecution and defence.

Her Honour Mrs Justice Yip said this decision has been made at her suggestion and that it is ‘better to save his energy for another day’.

The jury have been told that he also has a long journey to travel to where he is staying.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

 

[Bampot]

DAY FOUR: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues - evidence suggests neck was 'stamped or knelt on'

2:11pm
The defendant has now left the courtroom

2:11pm
Mark Fenhalls QC is requesting, on the suggestion of the judge, if the defendant can leave the dock and return to the young offenders institute to be brought back to court on Tuesday morning when the trial is due to re-commence.

The judge said that because only 'agreed facts' will be presented to the jury this afternoon, this request is satisfactory.



2:02pm
The judge has now entered the courtroom

1:59pm
The defendant has entered the dock

 

[Rosegold68]

long journey....its 2 hours away. you'd think they would have moved him on a temp basis to a nearer facility

 

[Bampot]

why would the judge suggest this?????