Brenda Page’s killer likely prised open her window with a chisel and lay in wait inside her wardrobe before murdering her, a forensic expert told a jury today.
Retired police forensic scientist Eric Jensen told the High Court in Aberdeen that in his opinion the murderer could have gained access the Allan Street flat and lay in wait for Brenda to arrive home.
The 77-year-old said the killer would likely have been in a “sitting position” within the wardrobe “thereby making no sound” by striking the clothes hangers inside.
Mr Jensen added that the body of Dr Page showed she had been struck while she was “sitting or lying” on her bed.
He also claimed that the killer worked “slowly, deliberately and successfully” at her bedroom window with a “chisel-tipped” implement before gaining entry to her property.
The forensic scientist also deemed that paint flakes found near the bedroom window of Dr Page’s flat were “identical” to those found on Dr Christopher Harrisson’s green Mini Countryman Estate.
Brenda Page returned to her Aberdeen flat on Allan Street on the early morning of July 14 1978 and was repeatedly struck on the head, face and body 20 times with a blunt implement.
Her neighbour discovered her battered body sprawled across her bed days later.
Harrisson has denied killing Brenda more than four decades ago.
His defence advocate Brian McConnachie KC has entered a special defence of alibi on behalf of his client, claiming he was at his home when the alleged murder took place.
The court was also shown police interview footage of Dr Page’s neighbour, Dennis Burt, who said he saw a “shadow of someone” inside Dr Page’s property on the night of her murder.
Mr Burt, now deceased, told detective constable Thomas Gorman that he had gone out to the communal back garden with his binoculars to look at the stars due to it being a “beautiful night”.
“As I was walking back toward the back door I could see a shadow of someone at the edge of the window, behind the Venetian blinds,” he said.
“It was quite a small light, like a nightlight and it was sort of half a body I could see.”
The 71-year-old told police that he had “assumed it was Brenda”, but added, “I’m sure she told us she was going out that night”.
Another witness, Raymond Chan, said he was at another flat at 13 Allan Street picking up study materials from a friend on the night Brenda Page died and heard a scream just after midnight.
He also claimed the whole house was illuminated, which he thought was unusual.
In a statement given to police on the day Brenda’s body was found, Mr Chan, who was a student at the time, said: “Arriving at the flat I saw the stair light above the deceased’s door was on which was not normal.
“On leaving the flat I heard a noise like someone screaming and a door banging.”
During cross-examination, defence advocate Mr McConnachie asked Mr Chan: “You heard the noise of someone screaming and a door banging, but you do not know where those noises came from?”
“No, I don’t,” Mr Chan replied.
The trial, before judge Lord Richardson, continues.
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