A MURDER trial heard a Flintshire man who died after an altercation with his neighbour was likely to have been attacked for a prolonged period on the bed of his flat.

Andrew Hamilton suffered 25 separate wounds and numerous bruises and abrasions as a result of the alleged attack by Christian Williams.

Williams, who is accused of murdering Mr Hamilton in his flat at Forresters Hall in Bagillt on July 18 last year, is said to have used a kitchen knife, saucepan and the end of a broken bottle in a “sustained and brutal” assault on his neighbour.

Forensic scientist Jayne Roughley analysed blood patterns that were left in Mr Hamilton’s flat.

She told Mold Crown Court the deceased man’s body and neck were heavily blood-stained and there appeared to be signs of disturbance in the bedroom.

The blood patterns in the bedroom were complex and extensive with large volumes of “drip blood” on the floor and between a chest of drawers and side of the bed.

The scientist said: “There were numerous drips of blood underneath the bed which indicated that the bed had been moved at some time.”

There was a pattern of blood stains and blood spots on the wall, including cast-off stains, which were possibly from a weapon.

Analysis showed the samples of the blood in the bedroom matched the DNA of Mr Hamilton.

His bed was heavily stained and blood had soaked through three layers of duvet to a mattress and there was a clump of dark hair lying on the bed.

Ms Roughley said: “The blood patterns suggest that he (Mr Hamilton) had been assaulted for some time on the bed allowing his wounds to bleed onto the bed.”

There were also blood-stained hand marks on the headboard end of the bedroom wall indicating there had been a “forcecable contact by the hands” with the wall, although the scientist said she could not say whether Mr Hamilton had fallen or been pushed onto the wall.

There was air-born blood on a window and on a sheet piled on a box in the room and pooled blood running down a photo frame and Ms Roughley concluded: “In my opinion it indicates a sustained assault in numerous areas of the bedroom, particularly on the bed.”

More blood was found in the living room and there were more clumps of dark hair on the floor as well as hair swiped blood on architraves and a door frame.

The court has heard that Mr Hamilton died from multiple incise wounds to the head and neck.

One significant injury was a 15cm gaping wound to the 42-year-old’s neck which included the severing of an artery and jugular vein.

Ms Roughley said it was unlikely that he would have sustained that massive injury while he was standing up. She said that it was likely it was sustained in the hallway and she said the blood patterns in that part of the flat were “not consistent” with Williams’ account.

“If he had been upright I would have expected to see the majority and concentration of arterial blood (blood spurting from an artery wound) higher up the walls and on the ceiling,” she said.

The jury was shown items of clothing worn by Mr Hamilton at the time of his death, including a sweatshirt which was completely blood-stained and a T-shirt which was similarly covered in blood and with several holes torn in it.

The scientist revealed forensic work on the knife recovered from the flat could not determine for certain if it had been used in the attack as tissue and body fat was not found on it, while she could not similarly establish whether the broken bottle end had been used.

Williams, 44, of Forresters Hall, High Street, Bagillt, denies murder.

The trial continues.