A BLOOD splatter expert has described to court how Edward Reeve would have travelled through his home after being stabbed on New Year’s Eve.
Two teenage boys, a 16-year-old from Christchurch and a 17-year-old from Bournemouth, are accused of stabbing and slashing Mr Reeve, 35, around 12 times at his home in Heath Road, Walkford, on December 31, 2021.
Jurors at Winchester Crown Court heard from a forensic scientist who analysed the blood patterns in the house on January 5, the day after Mr Reeve’s body was found.
READ MORE: Live updates from second week of trial
Martin Beale said the bed in the downstairs bedroom was “heavily soaked” with blood.
On the outer surface of the bedroom door, there was "cast off" blood staining, meaning the blood had been deposited because there was movement by a blood-stained hand.
Opposite the bedroom, Mr Beale said there was large blood staining and “significant” blood stains on the carpet.
The living room door had “heavy” contact blood staining and the hallway between the bedroom and living room had a trail of blood spots.
In the garden, there were blood stains on the shed door and “apparent hand marks” on the wall of the neighbouring property
The DNA profiles of the blood matched that of Mr Reeve, Mr Beale told the court.
He said: "Mr Reeve has been bleeding heavily, made his way into the bedroom, rested on the bed for a period before making his way back through the hallway, into the living room, having contact with surfaces on route.
“He has made his way into the garden, between the bed and greenhouse, positioned himself against the wall of the neighbour's property, before making his way back into the house.”
Mr Reeve was eventually found in the living room surrounded by blood.
Forensic pathologist Dr Basil Purdue, who performed the post mortem, then gave evidence.
Mr Reeve was found with a number of stab and slash wounds, including a 12cm slash across the face.
Dr Purdue said the injury went “deeply into the face” and caused the left eye to collapse.
The principal injury was described as a “gaping, vertical stab entry slit, 6.5cm long.”
“It's the sort of thing you tend to see when a knife has gone in at one angle and come out at another,” Dr Purdue said.
He added it severed the great vein which drains the kidney.
Both boys deny murder, the Christchurch teen admits having a bladed article, the Bournemouth teen denies the same charge.
Neither can be named and the trial continues.
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