Trial hears blood of alleged murder victim found in Dromore flat

A FORENSIC expert who examined blood found in the Tyrone home of murder suspect Stephen McCourt was called to give evidence today (Monday).

McCourt is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court on a charge of murdering 47-year-old Kildress man Damien Heagney on a date unknown between December 29, 2021 and January 7, 2022.

The 41-year old, from Riverview in Augher, has denied the murder charge.

Mr Heagney (pictured) was last seen alive at the end of December 2021. He was reported missing in July 2022 and the following month his dismembered remains were recovered from Cappagh reservoir in Tyrone.

As part of a PSNI investigation, a forensic search was carried out at a property in McGartland Terrace in Dromore, which at the time was occupied by McCourt.

As she was called to give evidence, the forensic expert said she examined 20 swabs taken from blood found in the first floor flat.

The witness said that one of these swabs was from a smear of blood located on the frame of a bedroom door.

When asked by Crown barrister Gary McHugh KC if any DNA was located in that particular swab, she replied ‘a profile matching that of Damien Heagney was obtained’.

She also confirmed blood was found in various other area of the flat including the windowsill in the bathroom, on a wall in the living room, on a door frame in the hallway and on spinals of the staircase.

The witness said ‘profiles matching that of Mr McCourt’ were present in a majority of the swabs and that ‘Damien Heagney could not be excluded’ as a contributor regarding one swab where a mixed profile was present.

The forensic expert confirmed she was given further items which underwent biological examination.

These included samples from the body parts belonging to Mr Heagney which were retrieved from the reservoir.

The jury heard that, upon examination, there was no forensic link between the human remains and McCourt.

During a cross-examination by defence barrister Des Fahy KC, the forensic expert was asked about the blood smear which was found to contain Mr Heagney’s DNA.

She was asked by Mr Fahy, “Do you agree that when you found and examined the blood swab, that does not tell you anything about the date and time on which that blood was deposited or how it was deposited?”

The witness replied, “No, it does not tell me when it was deposited.”

Mr Fahy then asked the forensic expert, “Do you agree that there may be a wholly innocent, non-criminal explanation for the deposit of that blood?”

She answered, “There may be.”