Schoolgirl Nikki Allan was taken into a cellar after she had been attacked in a separate part of an abandoned building, a forensic scientist has told a court.
Nikki, 7, had been hit on the head with a brick and stabbed 37 times after she had allegedly been abducted and taken to the Old Exchange building, in Sunderland, reports Chronicle Live.
David Boyd is standing trial accused of her murder, but has denied the offence.
Hilary Parkinson, a forensic scientist, told jurors on the fourth day of the trial at Newcastle Crown Court about what she found after visiting the derelict building, in Sunderland, in October 1992.
Ms Parkinson noticed blood on the wall and more blood staining on the window sill and on the floor under the window.
She confirmed there was a brick on the floor that appeared to be bloodstained. It was passed around to jurors to demonstrate its weight, which is 5.75 pounds, and had blood on all six faces.
The scientist went down to the basement and said there were drag marks visible on the floor, leading to Nikki’s body.
Asked about the position of the body, Ms Parkinson said: “The body was lying on the left side on the back against the north wall of the room. The arms were outstretched, the hands being above the head. The head was against the right arm and was turned so the face was uppermost.
“The hair, which was long, was not beneath her head but flowed out and lay between the hands. Her left hand was bent over her hip and her knee was lying over her arm and her left arm was lying over her left calf.”
She described how Nikki was wearing black shorts, a green T-shirt and a pair of white socks.
Ms Parkinson added that the T-shirt had been rucked up under the child's armpits and the upper part of her torso was exposed.
She demonstrated this on a child-sized mannequin in court.
Ms Parkinson added that Nikki’s socks were coming off her feet and the soles of the socks were dirty. She added: “Her face, hair and T-shirt were heavily bloodstained. There were blood stains on the right wrist and spots of blood on the left wrist and on the body.
“There appeared to be a wound with heavy blood staining associated with it to the left chest region. The T-shirt didn’t cover the wound.
“Smears of blood were visible on both legs below the knees. There were faint dust marks visible on exposed skin on the right side of the body.”
When she was asked for her opinion on how the body had got there, Ms Parkinson said: “I formed the opinion the body had been dragged at least for some distance by holding the legs or ankles. By pulling the body by the feet, the clothing on the upper body would ruck up. If he had pulled the body by the arms instead, the trousers would come down.
“There were a series of creases in the T-shirt formed in the rucking-up process which were heavily stained in dust and dirt and debris.”
Pictures were shown showing heavy blood staining on the floor, on a plank of wood and also on the lower part of a wall.
Ms Parkinson said: “A bloodied area has bit hit while Nikki was lying on the plank. Something has hit her and projected the blood.”
Asked for her conclusions about what happened in this room, Ms Parkinson said: “It is consistent with the main assault on Nikki Allan, who is injured and bleeding heavily, having taken place in that room.
“At some stage while she is heavily bleeding she has been attacked on the floor with the upper part of her body against the wall and it appeared she had slid sideways down the wall and because of the presence of projected splashes of blood to the right she may have been assaulted while lying against the wall. She would have been on the floor with her head or shoulders against the wall.”
She later added: “In my opinion Nikki had been hit with the brick and it appears she has been hit more than once with that brick. The heavy blood staining and blood spatter on the floor is consistent with her having been struck when already injured and bleeding while lying on the floor."
The court heard that steps into basement had blood on the edge of each step and more on the risers.
Ms Parkinson said: “This is consistent with Nikki Allan having been dragged from the top of the stairs down to the basement.” Prosecutor Richard Wright KC asked: “Her head or part of her body came into contact with each step as she was dragged?” Ms Parkinson replied: “Yes.”
The court was shown continuous drag marks on the floor leading to two steps up into the room where the tragic child's body was discovered.
The drag marks led to the spot where Nikki’s body was found and there was heavy blood staining under her body, the court heard.
Ms Parkinson also said both of the girl's socks had blood stains.
Her T-shirt was heavily blood stained on the front and back but the stab wounds had not gone through.
Nikki's shorts were heavily blood stained and there was blood staining to her underwear.
The scientist took swabs from Nikki and tested her clothes for traces of sexual activity by her attacker but no evidence was found.
Boyd, of Chesterton Court, Norton, Stockton, denies murder.
The trial continues.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
