Slain beauty Alison Shaughnessy was probably kille

Slain beauty Alison Shaughnessy was probably killed by
a ‘frenzied’ woman, the Old Bailey heard.

Top pathologist Professor Rufus Crompton told court:
‘The force of the blows would suggest the capabilty of a woman.

‘
The professor said Alison, 22, desperately battled for
her life during horrifying attack.

But she was ovecome when the killer slashed open her
windpipe and then stabbed her 30 more times in the back as she
lay dying on the stairs to her flat, a top pathologist told the
court.

The professor said Alison was ‘conscious and upright’
when she was knifed in the throat.

‘She was facing her assailant, perhaps trying to fight
her assailant off,’ he said.

‘The angles of the wounds suggested she was moving.

Her little fingernail was almost torn off, which would suggest
defence.

‘As soon as she received the wound which cut the carot
id artery (in the throat) and bled into her windpipe it would be
about five seconds before she lost consciousness.

‘Then her assailant continued stabbing her 30 more
times.

‘
In all there were 54 knife wounds, including injuries
to the thigh, buttock and groin.

Prosecutor Mr John Nutting asked Professor Crompton how
he would describe the attack.

‘I think in just one word – frenzied,’ he replied.

‘These stab wounds were all delivered in rapid succes
sion.

I would have thought it could have been done in two or
three minutes.

‘
He added: ‘A lot of the wounds were not inflicted with
great force,’ suggesting a female assailant.

The professor said the wound to Alison’s throat alone
would have killed her.

‘She would have been unconscious in a matter of five or
six seconds because she would not only be bleeding to death, she

would be asphyxiating because blood was going into her lungs.

‘Death would have taken a minute or two and not much
longer.

‘
Michelle Taylor and her sister Lisa deny murder.

The trial continues.

ENDS
MEMO: photonews (TEL: 071 248 5909) have pics of the Taylor
sisters which can now be published.

At the start of the trial
there was a restriction in case the question identity arose.

This afternoon that restriction was lifted.

ENDS MEMO