Two forensic scientists have told the trial of a 22-year-old Co Cork man accused of the rape and murder of Rachel Kiely over five years ago that DNA taken from her body matched that of the accused.
The accused, who was 16 at the time, has denied raping and murdering Ms Kiely (22) at the Regional Park, Ballincollig, on October 26th, 2000. He has admitted manslaughter.
Dr Maureen Smyth, from the State forensic science office, told the Central Criminal Court yesterday that she conducted a series of tests on samples of DNA taken from the victim's body.
She told prosecuting counsel Patrick J McCarthy that semen was found on three of the swabs, while traces of it were also detected on a fourth swab. A DNA profile of the semen was carried out and it matched that of the accused man. Dr Smyth said the chance of the DNA of the material found on Ms Kiely's person belonging to anyone who was not a blood relative of the accused was one in a thousand million.
The accused had voluntarily provided samples of his DNA in days following Ms Kiely's death.
Dr Smyth also examined items of clothing Ms Kiely was wearing when she died and items recovered from the home of the defendant.
She said she found acrylic fibres on a fleece jacket that compare with fibres from a jumper that belonged to the accused. That indicated there was close contact between the garments.
Under cross-examination from defence counsel, Brendan Grehan, Dr Smyth said that no DNA from the accused was found under Ms Kiely's fingernails, but he said this fact was not unusual.