Bloodstain evidence contradicts Henri van Breda's statement: expert

Henri van Breda on Day 37 of his murder trial in the Western Cape High Court. PHOTO: Catherine Rice/ANA

Henri van Breda on Day 37 of his murder trial in the Western Cape High Court. PHOTO: Catherine Rice/ANA

Published Sep 12, 2017

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Cape Town - The Western Cape High Court has heard evidence that bloodstains found at the Van Breda family home did not support Henri van Breda's police statement.

Police bloodstain analyst, Captain Marius Joubert, on his second day on the stand, told the court that Henri van Breda's version of events was inconsistent with blood spatter patterns found at 12 Goske street in the luxury estate de Zalze inStellenbosch.

Furthermore, he found evidence that led him to believe the crime scene had been staged after the murders.

Twenty two-year-old Henri van Breda is facing three charges of murder for the alleged axe killings of his mother, Teresa, father, Martin and brother Rudi. He also faces a charge of attempted murder for allegedly attacking his sister Marli, who was 16 years old at the time. She survived the attack, but suffered severe brain injuries and cannot recall the events of January 27, 2015, rendering her unable to testify. Henri also faces a charge of defeating the ends of justice. 

Joubert told the court on Tuesday that his analysis of bloodstains and spatter patterns did not support Henri's version of events in his police statement.

Henri claimed that while inside the toilet he heard a noise from the bedroom he shared with his brother Rudi. He opened the door slightly and saw someone attacking Rudi. He said his father ran into the room, turned on the lights, and jumped onto Rudi's attacker. 

But Joubert said Henri's position was inconsistent with blood spatter patterns found on Henri's grey shorts and socks which showed he had been "in close proximity to the source of blood when force was applied". 

Joubert said Henri had also made no explanation for Rudi's body being near the entrance of the bathroom door. Joubert believes the body was moved from the bed leaving "wipe and swipe blood patterns". 

He told the court that Henri's father Martin had no defence wounds, which  indicated that his attacker had surprised him. 

In his police statement, Henri also said the attacker had assaulted his mother in the passage, just outside the bedroom. In this instance, Joubert said bloodstain evidence was consistent with Henri's version of where it took place. 

However, Joubert questioned his claim that he did not actually see the attack, saying: the spatter on his shorts and socks did not support his version that he did not see his mom being attacked just outside the bedroom.

An object or objects covered in blood made transfer stains on the bathroom floor, but Joubert said Henri did not return to the bathroom according to his statement. Joubert believed objects may have been washed because the blood of Rudi, Martin and a DNA mixture from Teresa was found in the shower.

Henri claimed in his statement that he ran after the "laughing" attacker and threw the axe at him, but Joubert said the blood pattern on the walls did not support his version that it was an uncontrolled motion. Rather, Joubert believes the axe had been left in its position by a "controlled hand" to stage the scene.

Despite his claims that he struggled with the balaclava-clad intruder, Joubert believes if there had been a fight over the axe, there would have been a disturbance of blood patterns on the axe. 

The statement also claimed that Henri had fainted on the staircase but the flow patterns of blood on his body "do not support this version".

Joubert placed Henri close to the victims. "Bloodstains on his shorts and socks, show he was in close proximity to Rudi and Martin during the attacks." 

Joubert said Henri had also not explained why the duvet had been moved from his bed or why Rudi's body had been moved. 

Senior state prosecutor Susan Galloway raised discrepancies between Henri's plea explanation and police statement, but defence lawyer Piet Botha objected saying that was up to the court to determine.

Earlier in the trial, DNA expert Sharlene Otto told the court that "no unknown DNA" had been found on the crime scene.

African News Agency

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