Amber Gibson: Murdered teenager had strangling injuries, court told

Amber Gibson - also known as Amber Niven - was 16 when she died in November 2021

A 16-year-old girl found dead in a park died from compression to her neck, a murder trial has heard.

Consultant forensic pathologist Gemma Kemp told the High Court in Glasgow that Amber Gibson's injuries were consistent with manual strangulation.

She initially saw the teenager's body at the scene, covered by bushes and branches and "caked in mud".

Connor Gibson, 20, denies sexually assaulting and murdering his sister in Hamilton in November 2021.

This report details injuries found on Amber Niven's body

Her body was discovered in Cadzow Glen in the Lanarkshire town days after she was last seen.

Dr Kemp examined Amber's body and co-wrote a report which was reviewed in court on the sixth day of the murder trial.

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She said Amber suffered bruising to the whites in both of her eyes, and she sustained signs of burst blood vessels to her ear, mouth and face.

The court also heard there were eight further bruises and grazes to Amber's neck.

Dr Kemp said: "In combination (with the other injuries) these bruises and abrasions can feature in fingernail compression, nails and pressure of the fingernails around the neck."

She added "This is consistent with manual gripping and strangulation."

Amber also suffered internal injuries which included a bruise on her throat and a muscle in her neck.

Dr Kemp told the court that Amber also suffered significant blunt force trauma to her head, including a fractured nose.

She said this was likely caused by multiple blows, and they were likely to have been enough to knock her unconscious.

There were 15 separate head and neck injuries and 14 injuries to her body, Dr Kemp added.

This included bruises to both breasts, 10 injuries to her left arm, an injury to the right arm, armpit and fingers.

Amber's right leg had bruises on it and there were grazes on her back.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard asked if all the injuries were consistent "with clothing being ripped from the body, bra ripped off and thrown away".

"She was pulled over a rough surface on the ground - could that accord with the injuries to her back?"

Dr Kemp said: "Yes, that could be caused in that manner."

Under cross examination by Anthony Graham KC, representing Mr Gibson, Dr Kemp said she could not say whether the person who delivered the blows to Amber's face was also the person who strangled her.

Amber Gibson's body was found in Cadzow Glen in Hamilton, days after she was last seen

Forensic scientist Lisa Gray, 41, earlier told the court that she examined damaged clothing found at the scene.

This included a bra that belonged to the teenager, which Ms Gray suggested had been "ripped apart".

A grey top was also damaged around the neck and a pair of jogging bottoms were covered in mud with signs that the wearer was "dragged".

Another man, Stephen Corrigan, 44, is also on trial in relation to the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Amber's remains.

It is claimed Mr Corrigan found her body, but rather than alert police he inappropriately touched her and then hid her remains under bushes.

He is accused of a breach of the peace and trying to defeat the ends of justice. Mr Corrigan has lodged a special defence claiming he was elsewhere at the time.

Both men deny the charges against them and the trial before Judge Lord Mulholland continues.