Elders Court murder trial: forensic pathologist describes injuries on body

A trial jury has been shown autopsy photographs of the body of a man allegedly murdered in his Dundee flat.

A forensic pathologist said that Michael Given died from head injuries caused by blunt force trauma having suffered “at least three significant blows.”

Dr Helen Brownlow was giving evidence on the seventh day of the trial of Matthew Pope, who denies murdering Mr Given in Lochee’s Elders Court on July 20 or 21 last year.

She said: “External examination of the body revealed multiple fresh blunt force injuries to the head, torso and limbs. The only open injuries were two lacerations of the left brow bone.

“The fatal injuries were to the head comprising of at least three significant blows externally. There were multiple fractures of the skull.

“The blood noted beneath the deceased’s head at the locus is attributable to internal bleeding within the head, draining through the nose and mouth with the body in a prone position.”

The trial continues.