Fibres taken from the clothing of Mr Kieran Keane, the Limerick man murdered earlier this year, matched a fibre recovered from a house in Limerick where he was allegedly held before being shot dead.
Dr Annette Forde of the State Forensic Science Laboratory told the Central Criminal Court yesterday that she examined fibres taken from the dead man's jeans and compared them with fibres recovered from cushion covers from a couch at Fairgreen, Limerick.
Questioned by Mr John O'Sullivan SC, prosecuting, Dr Forde said she found that a single fibre found on the jeans matched those taken from a cushion cover. She also compared fibres from the cushion cover with a sample taken from the inside of a lilac pillowcase recovered from 79, Roundwood, and found some similarities.
The court has heard allegations that Mr Keane and his nephew, Mr Owen Treacy, were taken from Fairgreen to the house at Roundwood on the night of the murder.
Dr Forde said she also examined a number of other items, including fibres taken from a car, and compared them with items of clothing from Mr Keane and Mr Treacy.
In conclusion, she said her findings showed support for the allegation that Mr Keane was in contact with the couch in Fairgreen and the boot of the car. There was no support for the theory that Mr Treacy was in contact with the couch but there was contact between Mr Treacy and the car.
Dr Forde said there was only slight support for the theory that the pillowcase from Roundwood came into contact with the couch in Fairgreen, and there was nothing to suggest that it came in contact with the boot of the car.
In other evidence, Dr Thomas Hannigan, also from the State Forensic Laboratory, said he examined duct tape taken from the hands of Mr Keane and Mr Treacy.
He said the tape used to bind Mr Keane was was "in the shape of a handcuff". The hands were taped separately and the tape then bound around the wrist and upper arms.
The tape recovered from Mr Treacy had one loose end, he said.
Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, defending Mr Desmond Dundon, suggested this was indicative of Mr Treacy's evidence that his hands were bound differently to Kieran Keane's. "Yes, that seems to be the case," Dr Hannigan replied.
Five men have pleaded not guilty to the murder and false imprisonment of Mr Keane (36), of Garryowen House, Garryowen, Limerick, on January 29th last at Drombana, Bushy Island, Limerick. They also deny the attempted murder and false imprisonment of Mr Treacy (31), of St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, on the same date.
They are: Mr David Stanners (31), of Pineview Gardens, Moyross; Mr Dundon (20), of Hyde Road, Limerick; Mr Anthony McCarthy (21), of Fairgreen, Garryowen; Mr Christopher Costelloe (20), of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg; and Mr James McCarthy (24), of Delmege Park, Moyross.
The trial continues today.