HAYLEY MURDER TRIAL: PATHOLOGIST Huw White said Hayley Richards was found with a 20cm cut across her neck, which had sliced through her jugular vein.

She was found lying on her bedroom floor with cuts on her face and ears, as well as older injuries such as bruising on her hip, Bristol Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Mr White said: "She had an obvious severe wound across the front and both sides of her neck. It had cut through her jugular vein and on the left side it had cut through the left lobe of her thyroid gland."

He said the injury would have been inflicted with more than just one movement of the knife. Miss Richards also had a cut on her little finger, which Mr White said was consistent with a defensive injury.

Forensic scientist Steve Harrington described the bloodstaining found on the floor, walls and bedding in Miss Richards' flat but was unable to say exactly where she died. Bloodstained fingerprints belonging to Hugo Quintas and a footprint were also found in the house. Miss Richards' blood was also found on the steering wheel, key ignition and door handle of Quintas' car.

  • The trial continues