Amber Gibson’s murder trial hears accused man’s DNA ‘could have been on body before she died’

The DNA of a man accused of inappropriately touching a murdered teenager’s body instead of alerting police may have been present on her body before her death, a forensic biologist has told a court.

Stephen Corrigan, 45, is on trial accused of discovering Amber Gibson’s body between 26 and 28 November 2021 but instead of alerting police, he is alleged to have inappropriately touched and concealed her body.

The 16-year-old’s body was discovered on 28 November at Cadzow Glen in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

Her brother, Connor Gibson, is also on trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of murdering and sexually assaulting Amber, who was also known by the surname Niven.

Corrigan’s defence agent, Rhonda Anderson, cross-examined forensic biologist Alana Gunn on Wednesday.

The court had previously heard from Ms Gunn that Corrigan’s DNA was “widespread” on Amber’s body, spanning 39 areas, including her buttocks, breasts and pubic area, with the forensic biologist estimating it came from “direct contact”.

However, following questioning from Ms Anderson, Ms Gunn said she could not “exclude” the possibility that his DNA was on the teenager’s body by secondary transfer.

Ms Anderson put to Ms Gunn, if Ms Gibson had slept naked inside a sleeping bag that had Corrigan’s DNA on it before her death, that could account for why his DNA was on her body.

Ms Gunn replied: “If there was a significant amount of DNA in the sleeping bag then I couldn’t exclude that, no.”

Ms Anderson said: “As I understand it, your position from your evidence is that it could be that Stephen Corrigan’s DNA deposited on Ms Niven’s body could have been deposited before she went to the park (Cadzow Glen).

“Should the ladies and gentlemen on the jury understand that you are unable to exclude that his DNA was deposited on Amber Niven’s body before she went to the park and before she died?”

Ms Gunn replied: “We cannot tell you exactly what time the DNA was deposited,” before adding evidence did not say whether it existed on her body before or after her death.

Read more:
Connor Gibson on trial accused of sexually assaulting and murdering sister
Amber Gibson ‘had injuries consistent with being strangled’
Blood on brother Connor Gibson’s clothes ‘could indicate assault’

Both Corrigan and Gibson deny all charges against them, with Ms Anderson lodging a special defence of alibi on her client’s behalf.

Gibson is also accused of removing his sister’s clothes and repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and body on 26 November 2021.

Prosecutors allege he compressed the teenager’s neck with his hands and strangled her with the intention to rape her.

He faces further charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of bloodstained clothes and calling the children’s home where his sister lived and pretending she was 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 26 November before going to someone’s home.

The trial, before Judge Lord Mulholland, continues.