A RETIRED police officer has told a court of the moment he saw the lifeless naked body of schoolgirl Elaine Doyle.

Alan Stewart, 55, was the first cop to attend the lane in Greenock, Inverclyde, where the 17-year-old's remains were found in 1986.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Mr Stewart - who was a Police Constable - saw the teenager's ­unclothed body lying on the ground.

He told the court that he also thought he could see Elaine's bra hanging off her body.

Mr Stewart told prosecution advocate John Scullion: "I saw the naked body of a female. She was lying on her side.

"I remember a blue leather jacket, a black and white ­floral dress and a pair of shoes."

Mr Stewart was giving ­evidence on the second day of proceedings against 49-year-old John Docherty.

Mr Docherty, of Dunoon, Argyll, denies murdering Elaine Doyle in Greenock on June 2, 1986.

Yesterday, Mr Stewart told Mr Scullion that he was on duty on June 2, 1986.

He was driving around the west end of Greenock when he was instructed to go to a lane off the town's Ardgowan Street.

Once there, a member of the public, who had earlier telephoned police, told him where Elaine's body was located.

Mr Stewart - who retired from the police in September last year - told the court that Elaine's clothes were lying beside her remains.

During his evidence, the ladies and gentlemen of the jury were shown photographs of the location where Elaine's body was discovered.

They were also shown ­video footage of the area which was also taken on the same day.

When defence advocate Donald Findlay asked Mr Stewart whether there was any doubt to whether Elaine was dead, Mr Stewart ­replied: "no."

The court heard that Mr Stewart then secured the area and made a log of the policemen visiting the scene.

The court also heard ­evidence from another ­retired police officer, ­William Kennedy, 56.

The jury heard that he was told by a senior CID ­officer to cover Elaine's body with a blanket which was taken from a police car.

The court heard that the blanket could have "contaminated" or "decontaminated" evidence from Elaine's remains.

The accused Mr Docherty has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and the trial, before judge Lord Stewart, continues.