CAFASSO INQUEST

Dr Lawrence said injuries to Miss Cafasso's hands and forearms clearly showed she attempted to protect herself from the killer's blows.

He said clumps of blood-soaked sand were probably kicked over by the killer while trying to hide evidence after dragging the body to the water.

Miss Cafasso's bashed and stabbed body was found on Beaumaris Beach on October 11, 1995.

The inquest yesterday heard of an experiment using animal blood on Beaumaris Beach to simulate what volume of blood may have been spilt in the frenzied attack.

Blood was poured through simulated stab wounds based on the injuries to Miss Cafasso's back and chest.

Experiments were conducted with 100ml, 250ml, 500ml, 1000ml and 1500ml of blood, with the pattern, amount spilt and depth it sank recorded.

Dr Lawrence said that in a fatal stabbing, the victim would typically lose between one and two litres of blood, but not all would escape the body.

"Quite frequently blood will remain inside the body," he said.

Dr Lawrence said the experimental blood was rapidly absorbed by the sand and sank to an average depth of 6cm.

He said blood deposited at the water's edge disappeared remarkably quickly.

"The wave action rapidly destroyed any evidence of blood- soaked sand," he said.

The experiment also suggested Miss Cafasso was dragged by her wrists to the water.

Dr Lawrence said it was unlikely the killer dragged Miss Cafasso to the water by grabbing her under the arms as that would have caused deeper heel marks.

He also said carrying Miss Cafasso, who was 178cm tall and weighed 83kg, would have been exceptionally difficult for one person.

Dr Lawrence said the experiment was a useful exercise but could not be seen as evidence of what occurred.

Dr Lawrence also said marks on Victoria Cafasso's wrists remained an area of uncertainty.

He said an injury on her right wrist may have been a restraint mark, while an injury to her left wrist was less characteristic of a restraint mark.

Dr Lawrence said an object used to drag Miss Cafasso to the water was one possible explanation for the marks.

"My mind is open on what caused those marks," he said.

Dr Lawrence said the way items such as a watch and bangle were scattered at the scene looked odd.

The inquest is expected to wind up today with Maggie Smith, a former girlfriend of key witness Garry Holmes, to appear at 10am.

Mr Holmes was said to have acted "like a zombie" on the day Miss Cafasso was murdered and gave two different statements to police about his movements that day.