A teenager allegedly murdered by her brother died from compression of the neck and suffered “significant” injuries, a forensic pathologist has told a court.
Gemma Louise Kemp, a consultant forensic pathologist, conducted a post-mortem examination of 16-year-old Amber Gibson – who also went by the surname Niven – after her body was found at Hamilton’s Cadzow Glen on November 28 2021.
Connor Gibson, 20, is alleged to have assaulted and sexually assaulted his teenage sister, removing her clothes and repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and body on November 26 2021.
Prosecutors also accuse Gibson – who also goes by the surname Niven – of compressing the 16-year-old’s neck with his hands and strangling her with the intention to rape her.
At the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, advocate depute Richard Goddard showed a report compiled by the pathologist which noted Ms Gibson’s cause of death as “compression of the neck”.
Ms Kemp told the court the teenager was discovered with multiple bruises to the front of her neck and scleral haemorrhages – or broken blood vessels – in her eyes.
She said Ms Gibson’s body was “caked in mud” and had approximately eight individual bruises to the front of her neck while there were “significant” injuries to her head.
“These types of injuries are in keeping with manual gripping such as strangulation.”
Asked by Mr Goddard whether these injuries were enough to render the teenager unconscious, Ms Kemp said: “Yes,” adding: “Given the large area of distribution it has to have been multiple blows.”
She said that there was “significant blunt force trauma” all over Ms Gibson’s head, including a fractured nose and said the “brain appeared swollen to the naked eye, however, there was no signs of a traumatic brain injury.”
Earlier the 15-strong jury heard from forensic scientist Lisa Gray who told the court that several articles of clothing, including a bra, top, jogging bottoms and a jacket, had significant abrasions.
The underwear, she said, had appeared forcedly torn from Ms Gibson’s body and was unwearable after the back right of the garment was destroyed.
It is difficult to measure the force but it will require quite a degree of force to cause that damage— Lisa Gray, forensic scientist
Mr Goddard asked: “It was completely rippled apart, is that correct?”
Ms Gray replied: “Yes. It is difficult to measure the force but it will require quite a degree of force to cause that damage.”
She also said that the damage to the trousers appeared to be caused by a dragging motion.
Gibson is further accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of bloodstained clothes, and calling the children’s home where his sister was staying and pretending she was still alive.
He also faces a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by telling police he had argued with his sister on the evening of November 26 before going to someone’s home.
A second man, Stephen Corrigan, 44, is also on trial.
He is accused of discovering Amber’s body between November 26 and 28 last year but instead of alerting police, he is alleged to have inappropriately touched her and concealed her body.
Both men deny all charges against them, with Corrigan’s defence agent Rhonda Anderson submitting a special defence of alibi on his behalf.
The trial, before Lord Mulholland, continues.
