Victim set alight by 'naked flame'

Nov 25 2009

A scientist has told a murder trial that she believes the fire which led to the death of teenager Jessica McCagh was caused by a naked flame.

Fire investigations specialist Rebecca Peplar said the suggestion that debris from a cannabis joint smoked by Miss McCagh's boyfriend had ignited the blaze was "so unlikely that it can be dismissed".

She also told the court that at least a litre of petrol was involved in the fire and that she found Miss McCagh's burnt clothes had an "extremely high" level of the fuel on them.