Courts / Cork / Report

Scientist tells cold case trial of DNA match to material preserved 42 years ago

Date
2023-07-24

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Cork

County
Cork

Summary

In the Central Criminal Court, forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker testified that a partial DNA profile from material preserved 42 years ago matched DNA found on a black beanie hat belonging to Noel Long, the accused. Whitaker explained that the probability of the recovered DNA originating from someone unrelated to the hat wearer was one in 23,000, and that a database of the Irish population made it at least 20,000 times more likely that the DNA matched the hat rather than an unrelated person. He described using Low Copy Number (LCN) techniques to obtain a profile from a microscopic slide of a vaginal swab taken from the victim, Nora Sheehan, and how the male partial profile from the slide matched the hat's DNA. Dr Dorothy Ramsbottom corroborated the match, and the trial continues with a jury of seven men and four women. The accused, Noel Long, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sheehan.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Scientist tells cold case trial of DNA match to material preserved 42 years ago. Charges or matters: murdering 54-year-old Nora Sheehan between June 6 and June 12, 1981 at an unknown place within the State. Procedural stage: trial

When: