A hospital health worker accused of stabbing herself in a staged blade attack had search history for 'human anatomy' and ‘injury compensation' on a phone, a court has heard.

Donna Maxwell, of Livingstone Terrace, Irvine, denies a charge of wasting police time after an incident at Ailsa Hospital in Ayr more than five years ago.

The 47-year-old triage worker was charged with staging a knife attack that sparked a major police investigation on November 22, 2018.

Inspector Paul Richmond told the third day of a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court that he had never experienced a knife attack with the weapon left in the victim.

Inspector Richmond, designated senior officer on the day, told the jury: “There was two potential hypotheses: she was stabbed by an assailant, or she stabbed herself.

“We were aware an Abigail Hill was a suspect. Investigations were taken and it was concluded there was insufficient evidence. We later began to focus on the second hypothesis."

Under questioning from procurator fiscal depute Alasdair Millar, Inspector Richmond confirmed he was aware there was no CCTV, no eyewitness account, and that Ms Maxwell had purchased the same brand of knife the day before and that the blade was in her abdomen.

 “That was probably the one thing that took us down that route,” he said.

“I don’t think I have seen a single stabbing where the knife was left in [by an assailant] in 27 years’ experience. I have regularly dealt with reports of stabbings.”

He added ‘self inflicted wounds’ were the only time he had seen the knife left.

READ MORE: Stabbed Ayrshire NHS worker accused of faking attack 'bought knife in Tesco', trial hears 

Alan Muir, 50, who was previously employed as the manager of Irvine’s Tesco Extra store, told the court: "During that time I had cause to speak to police. They had a photograph of a knife exclusive to Tesco.

"I was able to identify the knife as part of the Go Cook range, sold exclusively to Tesco. No other retailer has them.

"I took police to the staff area computer system. On the product is a barcode exclusive to that brand of knife.

"When scanning, it also brings up a unique ID number, and the barcode is specific. Every transaction going through the checkout is held in the system for a three month period.

"When scanning the barcode, it brought up the sale history."

Under cross examination from defence counsel Janice Green, Mr Muir confirmed knives purchased as a set would have a different ID number, and said he was unaware the brand was available on the Amazon website.

Rachel Brown, 37, a forensic scientist for Police Scotland, explained the majority of DNA found on the handle of the knife was identified as belonging to Ms Maxwell.

No traces were found of the initial suspect, Abigail Hill.

Ms Brown said: "There was blood on the handle and on the blade. The blood extended the full length while there was a bit on the handle.”

The court heard it was a matter of agreement the majority of the DNA traced on the handle fitted the DNA profile of Donna Maxwell, with minor traces of male DNA.

She added this was 70-80 per cent from the accused and that an individual could not be identified from the rest of the traces.

Under cross examination Ms Brown said it was possible that DNA from blood could overwhelm other traces.

James McGoldrick, who served as a detective sergeant in Police Scotland’s cyber crime unit, told the court how police analysed Ms Maxwell's phone.

Data compiled from the phone showed Yahoo searches for 'woman's anatomy' and 'woman's anatomy diagram', which had been deleted by a user of the device.

He told the court police were unable to tell when the pages had been accessed or deleted.

Searches for 'claim compensation' on the UK Government’s website, and 'claim compensation if victim of crime', were also found in the web history.

The Crown concluded its evidence on Monday, January 8.

Prosecutors allege that “on a number of occasions” between November 22 and 27, Ms Maxwell informed police that she “had been assaulted and struck on the body with a knife”.

The single charge against her alleges that she made statements to the police, at her Irvine home and at Ayr Hospital, which she knew to be false, and that she “did temporarily deprive the public of [the police's] services and render the lieges liable to suspicion and accusation of assault to injury”.

The trial, before Sheriff Shirley Foran, continues.

All accused persons reported are considered innocent unless they later plead guilty or are found guilty.