WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains the name and image of a person who has died.
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The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Michelle Bright's body identified multiple injuries consistent with being dragged, a jury has heard.
Craig Henry Rumsby, 56, is on trial for the alleged murder of Ms Bright in 1999 as well as an alleged sexual attack on another Gulgong teenager in 1998. Rumsby has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Michelle Bright has been identified with the permission of her family.
The 12th day of the trial in Dubbo's Supreme Court took place on Thursday, May 18.
Experienced forensic pathologist Doctor Paul Botterill was called to give evidence. He performed the autopsy of Ms Bright's body on March 4, 1999.
Ms Bright went missing on February 26 and her body was found near Barneys Reef Road on March 2.
Dr Botterill was asked by Crown prosecutor Lee Carr about what effects body decomposition can have on the process of identifying injuries.
Ms Bright's body was found to be in "substantial decomposition" with noticeable bloating and swelling with red and black discolouration.
"In most cases yes, when we die our bodies deteriorate," Dr Botterill said.
"Subtle changes you may see like bruises and grazing are difficult to identify. It can also introduce defects that look like injuries but are not, they could be related to the decomposition process."
The jury heard 10 injuries were identified by Dr Botterill.
"Yes [there were] 10 individual injuries [identified], each of them not just due to decomposition," he said.
"But it's also true that I don't know if the decomposition process has changed their composition but I don't believe they were caused by decomposition alone."
Dr Botterill said he believed the most likely cause of injuries numbered as four, seven and eight was the body being dragged. These injuries were listed as "abrasions".
"Yes, I believe the most likely explanation is [the body] being dragged," he said.
He shared the same opinion for injuries one and three.
None of the injuries identified would have been likely to cause death, the court heard.
"Each would be consistent with pain or discomfort but not (causing death]," Dr Botterill said.
Cause of death
The court heard the findings from the autopsy stated the exact cause of death was unknown but natural disease and toxicology could be excluded.
"The cause of death is unknown," Dr Botterill said.
"One also takes into account the circumstances in which the body was found.
"That did not fit with any natural diseases process that I could logically help to explain how she was found.
"While it was an undetermined cause of death, the circumstances were in favour of non-natural intervention.
"I concluded it was homicidal violence of an undetermined nature."
Partial DNA profiles tested
The jury also heard from doctor David Bruce, an experienced forensic pathologist.
He confirmed of all the DNA samples taken from clothing, items and the body of Ms Bright, only six were suitable for comparison and none of them matched the list of people who had provided samples.
"There were many items that you were unable to develop profiles on," Mr Carr said.
"Of all of that testing there were only six partial profiles suitable for comparison and many others not suitable. We don't know what the result could have been in result to those?"
"Yes that's correct," Dr Bruce said.
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