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Court told of blood findings

discovered in a car driven by the alleged robber.In addition to the nylon scully,

discovered in a car driven by the alleged robber.

In addition to the nylon scully, the victim's blood was also found on the front passenger seat of the car as well as on a glove found at the scene of the crime.

The revelation came during the first day of the Supreme Court trial of Randolph Lightbourne which focused on the forensic evidence uncovered by scientist for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Lightbourne, 31, of Devon Spring Road, Devonshire, has denied robbing Woody's Drive Inn in Sandys and wounding, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, restaurant worker Owen Trott on December 22, 1995.

Crown counsel Patrick Doherty told the 11-woman, one-man jury that Mr. Trott was locking the bar around 1 a.m. when he was hit from behind.

Upon spotting a masked man wielding a knife, Mr. Trott put his hands up to protect himself from the culprit's knife.

Mr. Doherty said the culprit slashed Mr. Trott and then they forced him inside the bar and made him open a safe.

After bounding Mr. Trott's hands and feet, the two robbers fled.

But Mr. Trott was able to free himself and immediately summon the Police who responded promptly.

As the officers drove over Watford Bridge they witnessed a car leaving Woody's. They recorded the Mazda's licence plate and alert other officers to search for the vehicle.

Mr. Doherty said the Police stopped the car around 1.20 a.m. at Somerset Bridge and found Lightbourne at the wheel.

Inside the car Police found in the front passenger seat a scully -- made from a woman's pantyhose -- with blood on it.

Government analyst Kevin Leask testified that while he was examining the car on January 5, 1996 he found a blood stain on one of the front seats.

He said he took samples of the blood from the car, the scully and from a glove found outside of Woody's and sent them to be tested at the RCMP laboratories.

Blood samples from Lightbourne, Mr. Trott and anyone who might have came in contact with the car were also sent abroad for tests by DNA experts.

Dr. Norma Szakacs of the RCMP lab in Regina, Saskatchewan, told the court that the blood found on the scully found in the car was from Mr. Trott.

"It was a very strong match,'' said Dr. Szakacs. "It is extremely unlikely that the blood came from anyone else by Mr. Trott.'' And she testified that the blood found on the glove also matched Mr. Trott's blood.

Dr. Szakacs said that the blood found in the Mazda originated contained two people's DNA, one was Mr. Trott and the other belonged to an unidentified person.

She said she was not surprised with the car findings since many people had probably came in contact with the car.

Under cross examination, P.c. Rodney Trott testified that after Lightbourne was taken into Police custody he personally conducted a physical examination of Lightbourne, his clothes and shoes.

But P.c. Trott said he found no injuries or blood on the accused or his belongings.

The case continues today with Chief Justice Austin Ward. Mr. Doherty appearing for the Crown and lawyer Elizabeth Christopher representing Lightbourne.