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| DNA linked to 1996 river murder | DNA linked to 1996 river murder |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man accused of murdering a woman almost 13 years ago was caught by a speck of blood on his victim's jeans, Cardiff Crown Court has heard. | A man accused of murdering a woman almost 13 years ago was caught by a speck of blood on his victim's jeans, Cardiff Crown Court has heard. |
| John Pope, 59, denies killing Karen Skipper as she walked her dogs by the River Ely in Cardiff in March 1996. | John Pope, 59, denies killing Karen Skipper as she walked her dogs by the River Ely in Cardiff in March 1996. |
| Mrs Skipper's semi-naked body was found in the water. Her hands had been bound by her dogs' leads. | Mrs Skipper's semi-naked body was found in the water. Her hands had been bound by her dogs' leads. |
| Her ex-husband Phillip was charged but acquitted of her murder. He died in November 2004, aged 48. | Her ex-husband Phillip was charged but acquitted of her murder. He died in November 2004, aged 48. |
| The trial heard Mr Pope was questioned as part of the initial investigation but denied knowing the dead woman. | The trial heard Mr Pope was questioned as part of the initial investigation but denied knowing the dead woman. |
| Karen Skipper was stripped, tied with her dogs' leads and thrown in the river | |
| Ten years later, he was arrested and acquitted of a minor offence but gave a blood sample for the national DNA database, the jury was told. | Ten years later, he was arrested and acquitted of a minor offence but gave a blood sample for the national DNA database, the jury was told. |
| Robin Spencer QC, prosecuting, said detectives found the defendant's DNA profile matched a sample found on Mrs Skipper's clothes. | Robin Spencer QC, prosecuting, said detectives found the defendant's DNA profile matched a sample found on Mrs Skipper's clothes. |
| He said: "Mrs Skipper was walking her dogs on a Sunday morning when she was murdered by being thrown into the river. | He said: "Mrs Skipper was walking her dogs on a Sunday morning when she was murdered by being thrown into the river. |
| "Her jeans, knickers, socks and boots had been removed before being bound the dogs leads. | "Her jeans, knickers, socks and boots had been removed before being bound the dogs leads. |
| "Her two dogs - black Labrador Samson and Collie Ellen - loyally stayed by the riverbank that night next to her clothing until the alarm was raised the next morning." | "Her two dogs - black Labrador Samson and Collie Ellen - loyally stayed by the riverbank that night next to her clothing until the alarm was raised the next morning." |
| The court heard garage worker, Phillip Skipper, 38, became the prime suspect and was later arrested and charged but cleared following a five-week trial. | The court heard garage worker, Phillip Skipper, 38, became the prime suspect and was later arrested and charged but cleared following a five-week trial. |
| Mr Spencer added: "The police were left with two nagging loose ends in the murder. | Mr Spencer added: "The police were left with two nagging loose ends in the murder. |
| "Before Mrs Skipper was attacked, a man was seen close-by wearing a three-quarter length wax coat. He was never identified despite an appeal on BBC's Crimewatch UK. | "Before Mrs Skipper was attacked, a man was seen close-by wearing a three-quarter length wax coat. He was never identified despite an appeal on BBC's Crimewatch UK. |
| "The other loose end was that on the outside lining of her jeans pocket a small bloodstain was found. | "The other loose end was that on the outside lining of her jeans pocket a small bloodstain was found. |
| John Pope claims he had been bitten by one of Karen Skipper's dogs as he pulled a thorn from its paw | |
| "Tests were done and it didn't belong to Mrs Skipper or her husband." | "Tests were done and it didn't belong to Mrs Skipper or her husband." |
| He said the DNA was found to match Mr Pope after his arrested in 2006 on an unrelated matter. | He said the DNA was found to match Mr Pope after his arrested in 2006 on an unrelated matter. |
| The court heard the clothing on the bank of the River Ely was re-examined and a smaller speck was found on Mrs Skipper's underwear. | The court heard the clothing on the bank of the River Ely was re-examined and a smaller speck was found on Mrs Skipper's underwear. |
| Mr Spencer said: "It also matched Pope's DNA profile." | Mr Spencer said: "It also matched Pope's DNA profile." |
| The court heard Mr Pope was arrested and changed his story to admit he had met Mrs Skipper once in a "chance encounter" three weeks before the murder in March, 1996. | The court heard Mr Pope was arrested and changed his story to admit he had met Mrs Skipper once in a "chance encounter" three weeks before the murder in March, 1996. |
| Mr Spencer said: "In his interview he said he had seen her two dogs tied up outside a shop and noticed one had a thorn in its paw. | Mr Spencer said: "In his interview he said he had seen her two dogs tied up outside a shop and noticed one had a thorn in its paw. |
| "He pulled it out and the dog bit him, causing his finger to bleed. He said Karen Skipper offered him a handkerchief to stop the bleeding and she could have got his blood on her hand." | "He pulled it out and the dog bit him, causing his finger to bleed. He said Karen Skipper offered him a handkerchief to stop the bleeding and she could have got his blood on her hand." |
| The court heard his explanation was "patent nonsense" and that the blood came from her killer on the day she was murdered. | The court heard his explanation was "patent nonsense" and that the blood came from her killer on the day she was murdered. |
| Mr Pope, of Fairwater, Cardiff, denies murder. The trial, due to last five weeks, continues. | Mr Pope, of Fairwater, Cardiff, denies murder. The trial, due to last five weeks, continues. |