PCA Report paras 180-183. Title from David and Goliath p221.

180. According to Mr Karam, a major fault in the initial Police investigation was a failure to identify the source of blood splatters on Robin Bain's clothing. In his book, he writes: "Perhaps the most damning evidence against the proposition that Robin had no involvement in the other murders and did not commit suicide are the two 'smears' of blood on his left hand and the heavy staining of his sweat shirt. He criticises the Police for not having the blood analysed and tested for blood grouping. He views this alleged failure as further evidence of sloppy work and declares it was another blunder that led Police to the wrong conclusion in the case. In the epilogue in the book, he writes: "The police went to incredible lengths to put together their case against David, yet they did not even analyse the blood, the heavy blood staining, that was all over Robin.

181. When Robin's dead body was examined it was noted that there were numerous blood splatters on his track pants and sweat shirt. Mr Karam contends that those stains could not have been Robin's own blood and asserts if they had been tested they would have been shown to have come from other family members when he shot them before taking his own life. In his book Mr Karam writes: . "I have no doubt that if the blood staining on Robin's clothing had been ana lysed for blood grouping, it would have been found to be the blood of deceased members of his family. The nature of these bloody stains on Robin's attire and body is such that they could not have got there as a result of finding the dead bodies. It could not have got there from his own wound in the process of him being murdered".

182. Elsewhere in the book he goes further and says "The incredible fact is that none of the blood itemised by Lodge on Robin Bain's hands or clothing was tested by the police for blood grouping.He also makes the point that "If any of the blood spots, smears or 'heavy staining' referred to by Mark Lodge [ie found on Robin] had been analysed and found to have belonged to any other deceased members of the family, then again, the case against David would have collapsed. Later he writes, "So, not only was the blood on Robin not tested to ascertain its origin, but also no account was taken of the fact that much of it could not have got there as a result of his own wound, and therefore it must have got there as a result of some other action.

183. In fact, blood stains on Robin's trackpants were tested and identified during the original investigation but it was done by way of representative sampling rather than checking each individual blood mark. The tests conclusively established that the samples were Robin's blood, of those amongst the Bain family. The blood on his upper garments was not specifically tested because in the opinion of the ESR staff and also Dr Dempster it was obviously Robin's blood from the head wound.