Blood from dead schoolgirl found on boots of accused boy

The blood of schoolgirl Ana Kriegel was found on the boots of one of the teenage boys accused of her murder, a court has heard.

The 14-year-old’s blood was also found on a long stick discovered at the derelict house where she was killed.

Blood expert and DNA specialist John Hoade told the Central Criminal Court that the blood evidence shows one of the accused, known as Boy A, either assaulted Ana or was in a very close proximity when she was assaulted.

Ana’s naked body was found in the derelict house in Lucan, Co Dublin, days after she went missing in May last year.

Two 14-year-old boys, who cannot be identified due to their age, are standing trial accused of her murder.

Boy A has pleaded not guilty to murder and sexual assault “involving serious violence” of the schoolgirl.

Boy B has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Black boots that Boy A was wearing on the day Ana disappeared were examined and found to have blood stains on nine separate areas.

The blood stains all matched Ana’s DNA profile.

Mr Hoade told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that he used a microscope to examine the stains because they were not immediately obvious or easy to see.

He told the court that Ana’s blood was found around the laces, toe area and to the side of the right boot, while blood spatter and staining was also found on the sole.

Her blood was also located on the heel and two stains were discovered at the front of the boot.

The witness explained that blood spatter occurs when an external source is applied to exposed blood and it moves through the air and lands on a surface.

He said the best example of spatter he found was on the front of the right boot.

“In my opinion the pattern indicated that (Boy A) either assaulted Ana or was in very close proximity when Ana was assaulted,” he said.

The jury was also shown a long wooden stick and concrete block that were removed from the scene.

The wooden stick, which was charred at one end, measured 92cm in length and 4 x 3cm in width.

There was also a nail or staple protruding from both ends.

The stick was blood-stained throughout with blood spatter found at both ends.

The witness told the court there was heavy blood staining at the charred end of the stick, and these stains all matched Ana’s DNA profile.

He said that a further blood pattern found on the stick would usually occur when an object with wet blood is swung through the air and impacts on a surface.

He said this happens as a result of a stick being swung through the air as if someone was hitting something.

He added that the patterns on the stick indicate it was used as a weapon in an assault.

He also told the court that only Ana’s DNA was found on the stick.

The concrete block, which was a section of a nine-inch block, had blood stains on all six surfaces.

He told the court that he didn’t sample any of the blood found on the concrete block.

When asked why he had not examined the blood he said: “It was my understanding that the block was not used as a weapon in the assault.”

Hair was also found on the block.

The trial continues.