A BBC documentary highlighting the role of forensic science in convicting the killer of Kinglassie man Ean Coutts is to be broadcast on Monday.
The partially mummified remains of Coutts were discovered by urban explorers in a derelict industrial unit on the outskirts of Glenrothes in September 2020.
Their discovery triggered one of Police Scotland’s most complex investigations in recent years in which forensic evidence played a crucial role in solving the case.
David Barnes, 31 at the time, was found guilty at Edinburgh High Court in 2023 of killing the 60-year-old Mr Coutts.
Forensic evidence that helped find Ean Coutts’ killer
The forensic science that helped bring Barnes to justice is featured in a forthcoming episode of the BBC’s Expert Witness.
In the documentary, forensic experts explain how science helps solve some of the UK’s toughest criminal investigations.
The initial difficulty for detectives investigating the grim discovery of Coutts’ remains was that there was no evidence to confirm who brought him to the disused units or how long the remains had been there.
Soil expert Lorna Dawson, of the James Hutton Institute, explained that when a body decomposes the fats and carbohydrates within the material break down over time.
Analysis of soil samples taken from where Mr Coutts’ remains were found gave detectives an approximate time window of how long they had been there.
Further expert analysis of tiny mites found within some of the soil samples allowed forensic experts to further pinpoint when the body had been put there.
BBC documentary on Glenrothes death
In addition, work carried out by facial reconstruction experts at Liverpool John Moores University is highlighted.
Using 3D imaging of the skull to anticipate muscle structure, detectives created a facial reconstruction of what the man may have looked like.
This brought vital new evidence from the public that confirmed it was Ean Coutts’ body discovered in Glenrothes.
Further analysis of tiny paint flakes also found in killer, David Barnes’ car provided further forensic evidence that helped convict him.
Barnes was convicted of the murder of Ean Coutts and sentenced to a minimum of 23 years behind bars.
A full report outlining highlighting the police investigation into Ean Coutts murder was published by The Courier in 2023.
Expert Witness will be broadcast on BBC at 2.30pm on Monday and is available now on BBC iPlayer.
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