A FORENSIC scientist has told a court that the DNA found on the casing of the bullet that killed dad Michael Blake matches that of the man accused of murdering him.

Anna Sheikh was called as an expert witness at the Manchester Crown Court trial of Nathan Daniels, who is charged with the murder of 28-year-old Mr Blake, of Manchester Road, Westhoughton, on November 3 last year.

Swabs from the bullet casing retrieved from the blood stained jacket Mr Blake was wearing when he died were passed to Ms Shake for examination by police investigating the shooting.

She told the court that DNA, not from blood, but possibly from skin cells, was found on the casing.

There was dominant, or ‘major’ DNA profile and a trace DNA profile not suitable for comparison.

Asked by prosecutor Andrew Thomas if they she had been able to match the dominant profile to anyone, she said: “Yes, the major profile matched that of Nathan Daniels.”

Ms Sheikh  added: “In my opinion the results indicate it was deposited as a result of direct contact with that item.”

She also told the jury that the chances of the DNA matching anyone who was not a relative of Daniels was ‘one in a billion, that’s one in 1,000 million’.

She confirmed that loading a 9mm handgun — the type of weapon which was used to shoot Mr Blake — would involve handling bullets ‘one by one’.

Daniels, 28, from Nottingham Avenue, Stockport, claims the gun went off twice accidentally during a struggle with Mr Blake.

Lewis Power QC, Daniels’ defence counsel, put it to Ms Shake that Daniels’ DNA could have been transferred to the bullet casing from another surface, and he had not directly handled the bullet.

She also said Mr Blake could be excluded as a contributor to the DNA profile.

However, asked by Mr Power if ‘secondary deposition’ could be ruled out in this case she said ‘no’.

The trial continues.