THE LUKE MITCHELL TRIAL

In Luke Mitchell's initial statement, given to DC Alan Towers, at Dalkeith police, in the early hours of 1 July, 2023, he testified: I was walking quite fast. I was almost up to the top of the path at Easthouses when I met Jodi's gran, her sister Janine and her fiancé, Steven. They asked me if I had seen her and I said no. They were quite panicky and they had torches with them and they were looking round. I asked them if they had anything of Jodi's that she had worn to get the scent for the dog to follow. A friend of ours who trained dogs in the Army, he partly trained Mia.  Mia was our own dog. She hadn't been a working dog. We kept together walking down the path again. I was in front with the dog. I said to Mia, 'Find Jodi. Where's Jodi? She's hiding. Seek it. I kept repeating this to the dog. Mia kept (inaudible) going down the path. In order to track a scent, Mia required a 'target' and indeed an item of clothing would have been ideal. Mia didn&#

The source referenced is Sandra Lean's book, 'Innocence Betrayed' (2018), extracts regarded as 'fair use' under copyright and author's remarks in italics. Sandra Lean claims: The other girl, Kimberley Thomson, lived some 60 miles away. Luke met her the previous year when the family were on holiday and the two thirteen-year-olds had a “holiday romance.” They kept in touch by phone and met up again in the New Year period of 2003. Luke had not seen Kimberley since, although they still chatted on the phone.  With regards to visiting Kimberley, Luke's mother, Corinne, was asked in court: "Did he not go at Valentine's time in 2003"? Corinne affirmed, "Yes". The claim that he was planning to visit her again in July 2003 was based on Corinne’s plan to holiday in the same place - a plan that had since been cancelled. In court, questioned for the prosecution by Alan Turnbull QC (AT), Corinne Mitchell (CM),  the following dialogue transpired: AT

The source referenced is Sandra Lean's book, 'Innocence Betrayed' (2018), extracts regarded as 'fair use' under copyright and author's remarks in italics. Sandra Lean writes: Another ten minutes later, at 10.59, Judith called Luke again. He told her he had just arrived at the Newbattle entrance to Roan’s Dyke Path with his dog and was about to make his way up to Easthouses, looking for Jodi on the way. Did Luke actually say that he had just arrived... The only related quote from Judith Jones, Jodi's mother, seems to be: In Judith’s first recorded statement to police, at 2.45am on July 1st, she said Luke told her, in the 10.59pm phone call, he was coming up the path “on his bike.” Continuing: The explanation seems obvious, at first glance. Luke’s timings must be wrong. The 10.59pm call placed Luke at the Newbattle entrance to the path at that point, so it is worth noting at this stage that police timed the walk from Luke’s house to the entrance to the path at