AN alleged murderer who was said to have left a trail of bloody footprints in his bedroom after stabbing his parents to death suggested the blood found had been from a cut on his foot.

Michael Clarke told a jury at Bristol Crown Court how he had cut himself on one of the knives he kept in his bedroom and that he had a scar from the wound.

The 21-year-old also said he had run into his room after finding his father's bloody body on the floor.

Clarke, who denies murdering his parents, former Swindon police officer Milroy Clarke, pictured, and his wife Joan, at the family home in Berryfield Park, Melksham, on December 6, 2004, was also told by Nigel Pascoe, prosecuting, he had dripped blood on to the bathroom carpet when he washed his hands and the knife following the killings.

Cross-examined by Mr Pascoe, Clarke, who had studied forensic science was accused of being "forensically aware" during the case.

Mr Pascoe accused him of throwing out documents about killing he had printed from the internet days before his parents died in case they looked suspicious.

Clarke replied: "Your argument is flawed because surely I would have thrown away my forensic encyclopaedia and my book on serial killers."

Told by Mr Pascoe that five spots of blood on the bathroom carpet found to be from Mr and Mrs Clarke were consistent with him washing his hands or the weapon after killing them, Clarke said: "That's completely untrue."

The martial arts instructor was accused of bundling up his clothes and the knife and handing them to friend Stuart Painter at Wembley before going to a Blink 182 concert.

The switch with 22-year-old Painter, of Beanacre Road, Melksham, who denies assisting an offender, was said to have taken place in a toilet cubicle.

  • The case continues