Expert Witness Journal Issue 66 April 2026 - Flipbook - Page 100
also necessary to consider whether a single stabbing
action through folded fabric could generate multiple
stab holes. Scissor damage may display distinctive
features allowing it to be con昀椀dently distinguished
from damage caused by a single bladed instrument.
Comparison with the 昀椀ndings of a pathologist can
also be crucial. Damage to clothing does not always
match the number or appearance of wounds on
the body, particularly when loose clothing moves
during an assault.
Tears
Limitations
Tears tend to follow the weave or knit of the fabric,
with the yarns and 昀椀bres parting along the line
of least resistance. Torn areas usually display a
chaotic arrangement of 昀椀bre ends that vary in
length sometimes with associated distortion in the
surrounding fabric. Most textiles are surprisingly
di昀케cult to tear with bare hands and seam separation
is often more common than true tearing of the
fabric.
Textile damage examination has inherent
limitations, and these must be acknowledged. In
many cases, examiners can exclude an implement
with con昀椀dence, but inclusion is usually more
cautious. A scientist may conclude that a particular
knife, or any other implement with similar
characteristics, could have produced the damage.
Assessing the degree of force is rarely possible except
in very general terms. Too many variables, including
blade sharpness, fabric type and movement during
the action, in昀氀uence the appearance of the damage.
Punctures
Puncture damage is generated when objects force
yarns and 昀椀bres apart penetrating through a layer
of fabric. The surrounding fabric often shows
stretching and distortion. The shape of the resulting
hole can sometimes help to identify the type of
implement.
Case Study 1
Stab Damage and a Blunt Knife
A complainant su昀昀ered a single fatal stab wound
to the lower abdomen. Witnesses described the
defendant punching the complainant. A knife
recovered from the defendant’s home address was
alleged to be the murder weapon. No blood or DNA
linked either party to the knife.
Abrasions
Abrasive damage ranges from super昀椀cial disturbance
of the fabric surface to deep, penetrating frictional
wear. Directionality can sometimes be established
from the pattern of displaced 昀椀bres.
Examination of the complainant’s hooded top
revealed a typical stab hole on the lower front right
side, corresponding with the fatal wound. The knife
proposed by the prosecution had notably blunt
cutting edges and a rounded tip.
Thermal Damage
Synthetic 昀椀bres melt when exposed to high heat, while
natural 昀椀bres char. Mixed-昀椀bre garments display
di昀昀erent responses depending on composition.
Reconstruction tests were carried out using this
knife on an undamaged area of the same garment.
Despite varying force, angle, fabric tension and
stabbing speed, the test damage consistently showed
signi昀椀cant distortion and tearing rather than the
neat, cleanly severed 昀椀bres seen in the evidential
stab hole.
How Forensic Scientists Examine
Textile Damage
The process begins with a detailed visual inspection
under good lighting. A low power microscope is then
used to examine the characteristics of the edges and
昀椀bre ends of any damaged area. Photographs and
measurements are taken, and critical 昀椀ndings are
reviewed independently by a second scientist.
Reconstruction Experiments
Where appropriate, reconstruction tests are carried
out. Scientists may attempt to reproduce damage
on a garment itself in an area away from evidential
features or on similar fabrics. When permitted,
the questioned implement such as a knife may be
used. If not, an implement of comparable shape and
sharpness will be obtained.
Variables such as blade angle, penetration depth,
fabric tension and velocity are controlled and
adjusted to see whether similar damage can be
produced. This helps determine how the original
damage may have occurred.
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
98
APRIL 2026
