NO-ONE else could be a better fit for a DNA sample from a rolling pin allegedly used to murder an Otterbourne grandmother than the man accused, Matthew Hamlen, a court heard.

Scenes of crime examiner Michael Appleby’s report said Hamlen’s profile is as close a match as anyone’s.

Hamlen is accused of beating 77-year-old Georgina Edmonds to death with a rolling pin after stabbing her repeatedly in a bid to get her to reveal her cashcard PIN code.

She was found in the kitchen of her home Fig Tree Cottage, off Kiln Lane in Brambridge, on January 11, 2008, Winchester Crown Court heard.

This week the trial heard that a DNA profile found on the rolling pin could have come from more than one person.

As well as Mrs Edmonds’ DNA, a second minor profile, with 10 out of 20 fragments, was also found.

Scenes of crime examiner Michael Appleby said, if the 10 fragments relate to only one person, that could not be Hamlen and agreed there was nothing in the figures themselves that supported the idea of more than one contributor.

However, he said there was strong evidence to suggest the minor profile could contain DNA from more than one person because of the test’s sensitivity, experience and the nature of the item being in the kitchen.

Mr Appleby’s report said Hamlen’s profile was as close a fit as any individual to the second profile, if jurors accept that it was from more than one person.

Jurors have been able to hold the rolling pin, which was broken into three pieces, along with a complete replica.

They have heard how investigators took a large number of items from the cottage and took swabs in every room.

A pair of glasses were recovered from a dog bowl next to Mrs Edmonds’ body and some knives were also seized, the court heard.

Crime scene investigator Leigh Aggar said there were no signs of forced entry to the property downstairs, and all windows and doors were locked except one sash window to Mrs Edmonds’ bedroom.

Mr Appleby said he had concluded from what he found at the scene that Mrs Edmonds’ head and face appeared to have been struck or thrust into the floor with considerable force.

He found that she appeared to have suffered a number of stab wounds to the back of her neck and at least one blow, probably more, to her head.

He said he couldn’t say whether the blow was struck or the knife wound inflicted first.

Hamlen, 33, of Hamilton Road, Bishopstoke, denies murder.

The trial continues.