Pensioner found bludgeoned in kitchen of home 'hit at least 11 times'

A pensioner found bludgeoned to death in her own home may have been hit at least 11 times, a murder trial has been told.

Forensic scientist Yvonne McLaren told the High Court in Glasgow that Jenny Methven may have been sitting on a chair in her kitchen while the attack was carried out.

Ms McLaren was giving evidence at the trial of William Kean, 46, who denies murdering Mrs Methven at her rural cottage in Perthshire in February.

She told prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that she had examined the crime scene and noted pools of blood on the kitchen carpet and blood spatter and runs of blood on one wall.

The jury was shown a video taken in the cottage which showed Mrs Methven's blood soaked body lying on the kitchen floor.

She was wearing trousers, a jersey and one shoe was missing. Her shoeless foot had blood spots on it.

Ms McLaren told the jury on Tuesday that Mrs Methven's head may have been covered by a towel while she was being assaulted.

Two blood soaked towels were found near her body.

Before the video was shown the jurors were told they may find it distressing.

The court heard that Kean's fingerprint was found on a wall telephone covered in Mrs Methven's blood. Police also found his DNA on a glass and on one of Mrs Methven's arms.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice asked Miss McLaren: "There may be a number of reasons why someone would cut the end off a trouser pocket," and she replied: "That may be."

He then said: "Would it also allow you to place an item in the pocket. For example if you wanted to conceal a hammer, is that a possibility," and she replied: "It may be."

DNA

Under cross-examination by defence QC Brian McConnachie Miss McLaren was asked: "If William Kean is the perpetrator he has left behind his fingerprint on a telephone, his DNA on a glass and his DNA on Mrs Methven's arm," and she replied: "Yes."

Mr McConnachiie added: "One of the things that has been suggested to you is that the removal of part of the trouser pocket is to secrete a hammer," and she replied: "Yes. It is a possibility."

The defence QC added: "The person who has gone to that trouble then effectively left their signature in the cottage," and she said: "Yes."

Mr McConnanchie said: "The premeditated plan seems to have run out at the point of wearing gloves," and she replied: "Yes."

He asked if Mrs Methven's attacker would have been covered in blood and she said that experiments they conducted had shown surprising little blood.

The QC then added: "The situation we have here is that the pathologists will suggest there are at least 11 separate blows. Logic would suggest that the more often you hit into wet blood the more chance you have of being covered in blood," and she said: "Yes."

Kean, from Blairgowrie, denies repeatedly cutting his finger tips and palms to prevent police taking usable samples after Mrs Methven was killed in Kildinny Farm Cottage, Forteviot, on February 20 this year.

Kean is also accused of stealing around £15,000 from her home on September 14, last year. It is also alleged that he attempted to defeat the ends of justice between February 20 and March 28 this year by pouring bleach onto a pair of bloodstained trousers, cutting a pocket from the trousers and then hiding them in the eaves of a garage in Blairgowrie, Perthshire.

Kean is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice between March 13 and 19 by failing to turn up at Perth Police headquarters to have his fingerprints taken for elimination purposes.

He has lodged a special defence blaming Mrs Methven's son and denies all the charges against him.

The trial before judge Lord Glennie continues.

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