A FATALLY injured man dragged himself from room to room before collapsing and dying, a forensic scientist told a jury yesterday.

Michael Appleby, who is an expert in the interpretation of blood patterns at crime scenes, said that blood patterns indicated Risca man Tony Jenkins struggled from the lounge to his bedroom, then to the bathroom, before returning to the bedroom and collapsing.

Former mine worker Mr Jenkins, 46, was found with 18 stab wounds to his head, torso, arms and legs at his flat in Holly Road. He died from two fatal wounds, one to each lung, prosecutor Ian Murphy told Cardiff crown court.

Paul Lewis, 55, and Kathleen Carey, 56, both of Elm Drive, Risca, deny murdering Mr Jenkins.

Mr Appleby said that when he visited the flat he found blood stains on the wall near the front door, at the head of the stairs and some in the kitchen. In the lounge there were many signs of disturbance, including blood-stained playing-cards strewn around, a discarded blood-stained shoe, damage to a vacuum-cleaner and an upturned ashtray, he said.

There were, Mr Appleby said, numerous areas of blood staining close to the settee and on it. Some blood was on a wall and the door. There were suggestions of a "physical altercation" on the settee.

The vacuum-cleaner, he said, had extensive blood stains on the surface and he said it could have been used as a weapon.

He said he also found three clumps of dark-coloured hair, which indicated a violent struggle.

The jury heard that these belonged to Lewis. Mr Appleby said he believed struggles occurred in two distinct areas in the lounge, on the settee and around an armchair.

Earlier, forensic pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbeater, cross-examined by Carey's counsel, David Aubrey, QC, said he had not been aware the defendant Lewis had suffered shoulder and neck injuries and that DNA traces from Lewis were found in the fingernails of the dead man.

Dr Leadbeater also agreed that the injuries could have been inflicted by one person. Proceeding.