Sex assault case: Teen's DNA found on ambo officer's fingernails - scientist

Christopher King is facing eight sex charges. Photo / File

A forensic scientist says she has "extremely strong scientific support" to conclude a teenage girl's DNA was found on the fingernails of the ambulance officer accused of sexually violating her.

Forensic scientist Joanna Beth, a specialist in forensic biology, said she tested Christopher Roger King's fingernail clippings and swabs, as well as swabs taken from the teenage complainant.

King, 47, is on trial at Napier District Court this week and is facing eight sex charges, including sexual violation, stupefying and making intimate visual recordings of a then 15-year-old girl.

He denies all the charges which were made by four female complainants, aged 15 to 57, between 2010 and 2013.

Ms Beth said she found "extremely strong scientific support that [the complainant's] DNA was on [King's] fingernail clippings", which were taken from his right hand.

However, swabs taken from the teenage girl showed no trace of King's DNA, but her then boyfriend's DNA was likely detected.

While under cross-examination from King's lawyer, Bill Calver, Ms Beth said she "can't exclude" touching a patient with ungloved hands for a medical examination may have caused the transfer of DNA.

Yesterday, expert witness Christopher Don, who works at the police electronic crime laboratory in Auckland, gave evidence about his finding relating to King's cell phone.
Mr Don said he analysed the digital data on King's cellphone after it was seized as evidence by Hawke's Bay Detective Michael Signal.

The Crown alleges King used his Samsung Galaxy S3 to record intimate videos of the teen on July 24, last year, while Crown prosecutor Steve Manning has said one of videos was filmed when King's ambulance stopped on the side of the road near Waipawa between 3.10pm and 3.20pm.

It was during this 10-minute window, as King transported the injured teen following a domestic dispute on July 24, 2013, that Mr Don said he uncovered a "footprint" of a video which was created at 3:15:29pm on King's phone.

On Tuesday, Hawke's Bay District Health Board security manager Robert Thorpe said CCTV footage shows King's ambulance later arriving with the teenage patient at the Waipukurau Medical Centre at 3.26pm.

During his investigations, Mr Don said he discovered a second video was created on King's Samsung at 3:27:11pm. Four minutes and 40s later, the teenage complainant fled from the rear of the ambulance and into the arms of a delivery driver as he walked out the front doors of the medical centre.

Mr Don said data showed the second video was deleted at 3:31:13pm while the first video was deleted five seconds later at 3:31:18pm.

He said the time references on the cell phone were also "found to be the accurate time" while the lack of any further information in the digital footprints was consistent with a video being deleted.

Under cross-examination from King's lawyer, Bill Calver, Mr Don said he was unable to determine the length of the videos, what, if any, image was captured and said it was possible for a phone to accidentally begin recording while still in the user's pocket.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Grant Jarvis, is now expected to take the witness stand before a video of a police interview he had with King on August 6, 2013 is played to the jury.

The remaining complainants are expected to give evidence during the trial, which Judge Geoff Rea indicated would run until next week.