BLOODSTAINED fabrics were found covering pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender’s face and head after she died, a court heard yesterday.

Continuing her evidence from Thursday, forensic scientist Melanie Banks, of LGC Forensics in Staffordshire, said she was asked to examine the burnt remnants of material, as well as Whant's car and jacket.

19-year-old Miss Grender, who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with a daughter she had already named Kelsey-May when she died, was found stabbed to death at her burnt-out Broadmead Park home on February 5 last year.

Carl Whant, 27, of no fixed abode denies charges of rape, murder, child destruction and arson.

Newport Crown Court heard examinations of Miss Grender’s finger nails found evidence of DNA, but none that matched either Whant or her boyfriend Ryan Mayes, 18.

Miss Banks said she understood Whant had scratches on his arms so she was looking to see if his DNA was present.

In its absence she came up with two conclusions - that either Miss Grender did not scratch him, or she did but any DNA which was transferred was destroyed by the fire.

Jury members were shown Whant’s black jacket and the car mat taken from his car - both of which contained blood which matched Miss Grender’s DNA profile. Defence counsel Christopher Kinch QC suggested something such as hand or a finger could have come into contact with Miss Grender's blood before coming into contact with the coat. Miss Banks agreed it was possible.

The forensic scientist told the court the amount of semen containing DNA matching Whant’s was consistent with it being deposited around the time of her death, but could also have been there for up to five days before.

She also confirmed the level of semen matching Ryan Mayes’ DNA matched his claims the couple had sex one and half days before her death.

But when asked by Mr Kinch QC she also agreed the results could be the same if Miss Grender had sex with the two men around the same time.