Susan Whiting murder: Accused couple's fingerprints 'found on bag used to cover Walsall woman's head'

The body of Ms Whiting was found under a bed last August at a home in Heather Close, Walsall, belonging to Julie Beards, 34, who along with her husband Steven Beards, 35, is on trial for killing her.

Steven Beards also faces a charge of rape.

Yesterday a jury was told by fingerprint expert Ian Williams that the plastic bag pulled over the dead woman's head contained five fingerprints belonging to Steven and three matching those of Julie.

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Lawyers defending Julie Beards argued she had previously handled the bag because she was intending to change the one in her kitchen bin that day. The jury were shown a photograph of her bin with a bag looking full.

Jo Sidhu QC, defending, said: "The prints from Mrs Beards are consistent with her simply picking it up. To be clear there is no evidence from fingerprint analysis that she had been involved with putting that bag over anyone's head?"

In response Mr Williams said: "My evidence is that Julie Beards handled the bag. I wasn't at the scene and I can't say when she handled it."

Forensic expert Jane Rice also gave evidence at the trial being held at Leicester Crown Court where she confirmed Ms Whiting's blood was found on the end of a hammer believed to have delivered fatal blows to her head.

And she talked through the process of testing DNA samples which backs up the prosecution case that Steven Beards had raped Ms Whiting prior to her death.

The couple are also accused of drugging Ms Whiting before killing her.

Yesterday the jury began to hear evidence from Matthew Herbert, who the prosecution argue had been previously drugged by Julie Beards as she experimented with a sleeping agent Zopiclone.

In a video police interview Mr Herbert told officers he stopped taking the prescribed medication stating afterwards he would be 'out for the count'.

However he said doctors still gave it him and he stored it in a kitchen cupboard.

Mr Herbert told police Julie Beards would come around to his home and make him 'three or four' coffees a day and afterwards he would feel extremely tired and go to sleep for hours.

The trial continues.