Debris on Corryn Rayney 'from her home'

9 Aug 2012, 4:18 pm   -   Source: AAP

A witness has told the trial of West Australian barrister Lloyd Rayney that soil and moss on his murdered wife's body was probably from the couple's home.

A mineralogist who examined the liquidambar seed pods found in Corryn Rayney's hair has testified at her husband's murder trial that the soil found on the pods was "consistent" with soil outside the couple's home.

Prominent Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court of Western Australia to the wilful murder of his 44-year-old wife.

The former Supreme Court registrar went missing on August 7, 2007, after leaving her weekly bootscooting class. Her body was found buried in Perth's Kings Park eight days later.

Richard Clarke, from ChemCentre Western Australia, told the court on Thursday that he noted sandy soil on one seed pod and traces of brick particles. He also noted what was believed to be a human hair in a seed pod.

Mr Clarke said moss found inside one pod was similar to that on the brick paving taken from the house and said there was a "vast difference" in size between it and the moss found in Kings Park.

Red paint particles found on one seed pod were also "consistent" with "indigenous soil" found on the lawn at the Rayneys' home, he said.

He also noted brick powder on the boots, which he believed indicated Corryn Rayney had been drawn across a hard surface, presumably brick paving.

Mr Clarke said he did not believe the marks on her boots could be from normal wear and tear because, if they were, there would be wear and tear elsewhere on the boots.

The court also heard that police seized 34 paving bricks from the Rayneys' home for testing.

However, Mr Clarke said he could not identify leather from Ms Rayney's boots on any of the samples.

The prosecution alleges Rayney killed his wife at their Como home, in Perth's south, and the seed pods were collected in her hair when he dragged her body across the brick paving to her car.

The type of tree is not found near her grave site.

It is alleged Rayney then drove the car to Kings Park and buried his wife's body head-first in a grave before dumping her car in a nearby suburban street.

The prosecution says the body was positioned to speed up the decomposition process and make it difficult to determine the cause of death.

Rayney's defence team has questioned the integrity of the police forensic investigation, particularly regarding the seed pods and why they were not photographed while they were still in Ms Rayney's hair.

The trial, before former Northern Territory chief justice Brian Martin, is continuing.

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