Jodi Jones murder: police examine knife find

STV

A knife found in wasteland in Dalkeith has been examined to see if it could be the weapon used to murder Jodi Jones, STV News can reveal.

The weapon marked with the name Luke was found around a mile and a half from where the 14-year-old was discovered stabbed to death in 2003. Her boyfriend Luke Mitchell is serving a life sentence for her murder.

The knife was found off Cousland Road near to the Dalkeith School Community Campus by a member of the public in March this year. Police have carried out DNA tests to see if it was linked to either Mitchell or Jodi but STV News understands these have not been conclusive. Police sources refused to comment on whether the blade matched the injuries found on Jodi's body but the inquiry is believed to be continuing.

It is understood there is no evidence that it had been used in an act of violence, but it is possible that it knife had been lying outside since the killing.

Jodi Jones's body was discovered beside a path which ran from her home in the Easthouses area of Dalkeith to Mitchell's home in the Newbattle district in June 2003. The 14-year-old had been stripped, bound and mutilated and Judge Lord Nimmo Smith described photos of her injuries as the worst he had ever seen.

The murder weapon was never found but, after months of suspicion, Jodi's 14-year-old boyfriend Mitchell was charged with the killing.

At the age of 16, Mitchell stood trial and was found guilty of murder.

However, in the absence of a murder weapon, Mitchell’s defence lawyers argued much of the prosecution’s evidence was circumstantial.

His life sentence, with a minimum term of 20 years, was the longest handed down to a youth in Scotland at the time and lawyers acting on behalf of Mitchell are currently appealing his sentence, arguing the term should be reduced.

His team have also made a number of unsuccessful attempts to have his conviction overturned and he has always maintained his innocence.

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