Killer's DNA link 'questionable'

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Lawyers for the killer of a Strabane woman have told a court that DNA evidence used to link him to his victim is now "questionable".

Trevor Hamilton is serving life for the murder of Attracta Harron, 65, killed in 2003 as she returned from Mass.

His lawyers told a hearing in Belfast the low copy number technique used against him was now questionable.

However, prosecutors insisted the conviction was safe as it did not rely solely on low copy number DNA.

Hamilton's appeal is expected to get under way in May.

His legal team have commissioned an independent expert to review DNA findings from the trial before deciding whether to submit any new evidence as part of a challenge to the conviction.

A prosecution QC told the Court of Appeal the case was to be entirely distinguished from the trial of south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey.

Mr Hoey was found not guilty of the Omagh bombing, which had depended heavily on low copy number evidence.

Among other evidence the lawyer said a witness had seen Mrs Harron in Hamilton's car and her personal belongings were discovered on a bonfire at Hamilton's home in Sion Mills.