SOUTHAMPTON schoolgirl Lucy McHugh was not pregnant at the time of her alleged murder, a jury has been told.

Home Office pathologist Dr Basil Purdue told Winchester Crown Court today there was "no evidence either under the microscope or to the naked eye that Lucy was pregnant."

It comes after jury members were told earlier in the trial how the 13-year-old had text her alleged killer, Stephen Nicholson, to tell him she was pregnant.

The evidence was heard this morning at the trial of Nicholson who is alleged to have murdered Lucy – whose body was found in a wooded area of Southampton Sports Centre on July 26 last year.

Nicholson, 25, of no fixed address, denies murder.

He also denies two allegations of sexual activity with a child against Lucy on multiple occasions and denies sexual activity with a child in relation to another girl aged 14.

Today, the court heard evidence from Dr Purdue, who described Lucy's injuries to the jury.

He told the court Lucy had suffered a total of seven cut-type wounds and 20 stab wounds.

Of those stab wounds, Dr Purdue said three wounds to her neck would have been fatal.

Dr Purdue said the injuries were likely to have been inflicted with a "narrow blade of at least seven centimetres".

He added that Lucy was likely to have been immobile at the time.

It comes after Lucy's grandparents told jury members on Thursday about their relationship with the teenager's alleged killer.

Lucy's grandmother, Dawn White, who worked with Nicholson, told the court he could become angry "at the flip of a coin".

She also told the court she had once seen Nicholson shouting at Lucy during an argument and demanded he leave.

Lucy's grandfather Darren White, who told the jury he had only met Nicholson three times, said he also stepped in during the argument, in which he claimed he saw Nicholson swearing at the 13-year-old.

On Thursday, jury members also heard from a police intelligence analyst who told the court about the movement of Nicholson's phone on July 25 last year – the day of Lucy's disappearance.

William Mousley QC, prosecuting, previously told the court Nicholson is accused of killing Lucy after she told him she was pregnant.

He said the defendant, who had been living in Lucy mother's home as a lodger, had been "exploiting" the "vulnerable" teenager during a secret year-long sexual relationship.