A FORENSIC blood spatter expert has discounted the account of a man accused of attempting to murder his former partner.

Jurors heard how Amy Johnson had suffered 31 knife wounds in her own home and the scientist managed to track her route around the property as she attempted to escape her alleged attacker.

Christopher Blakemore maintains he acted in self-defence after his former partner attacked him with a knife but Teesside Crown Court heard his account didn’t match up to the blood trail.

Senior forensic scientist Nicola Taylor told the court there was evidence that Miss Johnson was stabbed multiple times with evidence of some of her injuries being the result of trying to protect herself.

She said: “In my opinion, the multiple areas of impact spatter are in keeping with her being repeatedly struck while she was moving from a low level at the foot of the stairs to a more upright position. Potentially as she was starting to ascend the stairs.”

Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, asked Ms Taylor if that meant Miss Johnson had been struck while she was moving.

She replied: “You can see extensive impact spatter and given the different heights, that would show that Amy Johnson was at different positions as she was struck.

“That shows that she was moving at the time the time she was struck. If she had remained stationary it would have been just repeated overlying clusters of impacted blood in one area.

“The fact they are spatially spread out shows there was movement during the incident.”

Jurors had heard how Blakemore told police that he had suffered a wound to his hand as he attempted to disarm his ex-partner before wrestling her to the ground to stop the alleged attack.

However, Miss Taylor told the court that the blood spatter evidence didn’t match up with the version of events the defendant told detectives.

She said they were claims not in keeping with her findings and analysis of the scene.

When asked by Mr Perks if the blood traces were in keeping with the account of Amy Johnson, Miss Taylor replied: "Yes they were."

Jurors heard that there were stains in the kitchen sink which corelated with someone washing blood off their hands and or a knife.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Perks said Blakemore had been looking after their child in Miss Johnson's house a few days before, when he had found a condom wrapper in her bin and had become jealous, messaging her: ''I'm going to love you till the end".

Blakemore is charged with attempted murder following the incident on October 13, 2019, at her home on Marske Lane, Bishopsgarth, Stockton.

The defendant, of Ammerston Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.

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