Court Expert denies fingerprint 'mistake'

A FINGERPRINT expert denied she made a mistake in identifying a palm print found at the scene of the rape and murder of a pensioner in 1967, a court heard.

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Ryland Headley is accused of forcing entry into the home of Louisa Dunne, 75, in Easton in June 1967 before sexually attacking and fatally strangling her.

Police launched an investigation after the mother-of-two’s body was discovered by neighbours on the morning of June 28 that year.

Officers recovered a palm print on a rear window of her house but despite collecting thousands of prints from men and boys were unable to identify a suspect.

Bristol Crown Court heard it was only during a cold case review last year that convicted rapist Headley, now aged 92, was identified as a suspect.

Following his arrest, fingerprint experts compared his palm print to the one recovered from Mrs Dunne’s window.

Elizabeth Hobbs told the jury she found “13 characteristics in agreement” between the two prints, which satisfied her it was a positive match.

Jeremy Benson KC, representing Headley, asked: “What I am going to suggest is that you made a mistake?”

She replied: “I disagree. This is an identification of the left palm in the fingerprint form of Ryland Headley to the crime scene mark.”

A second expert then had to undertake the analysis again but with no knowledge of the case or the earlier findings.