He showed us the bowline, which was a more technical knot creating a secure loop. He said it was a knot taught in the Scout movement, so therefore no doubt a skill which many will possess. He showed us the figure of eight and used as a stopper to prevent fraying or to prevent a rope passing through a loop. He said the figure of eight was less common than some of the other knots, and not many people could tie it. He demonstrated a sheet bend used to join two pieces of rope of unequal thickness, and he said this was not particularly common. Mr. Ide also produced two sample eye splices, i.e. the strong loops created by opening the strands and then threading it back on each other. He said that manuals usually recommended three turns or passes in creating such a slice or turn to take the thing into a secure position, and one manual he knew of said five passes were recommended for synthetic cordage. You have now also got the additional material produced by the defence, in which you will remember varying degrees of securing ties are shown, going up to seven, eight or nine I think in some cases, but you have got the books and so it is clear that the manuals are not at one as to what the nature of passes are which are needed to secure an eye splice.
Now Mr. Ide produced the photographs which perhaps we should just have a look at, please, in your folder at tab six. These are the ...asics in the first series, I think it is, which are recorded associated with Mrs. Park's body. Shall we just have a quick look at those and remind you of what he told us about them. Photograph three he went to first. Tab six, photograph three, if you would, please, ladies and gentlemen? This was the pinafore dress. The dress had been stitched together at the bottom using two stranded twine, which we see in the lower photograph. 14 stitches pulled tight, he told us, secured by a granny knot, with one additional half knot to make it secure, he said. In Mr. Ide's view that was not a particularly good knot. The ends had been trimmed off neatly, probably with scissors. He concluded that it had been sewn with a, sewing at the bottom of the bag that is, with a heavy duty needle of the type used for carpets, packaging or sail making. He was confident that the holes had been made with a needle and sewing action, rather than any jabbing action, because the needle would have to be .... to separate the threads in the way that he had seen through his microscope.