Correct...
It is not clear when this photograph was taken?
Some believe this particular picture was taken before the raid team got into the bedroom, and the rifle which was leaning against the bedroom window in the background, was the rifle which WPC Jeapes saw at the bedroom window before the raid team went to get into the farmhouse. Furthermore, that when this picture was taken Sheila`s body had already been found downstairs, and information broadcast over the telephone link passed to the effect that Sheila had committed suicide...
Alternatively...
I think it more likely that PI Montgomery took rifle from somewhere in bedroom and positioned the rifle so that it was leaning against bedroom window where WPC Jeapes had seen it resting long before the raid team went to get in the house. Montgomery had the benefit of PS Woodcock's presence at the scene to help him to pinpoint where the rifle was when the raid team first got into the bedroom. As I say, I think Montgomery simply placed the rifle back at the window so that when PC Bird took picture 23, it afforded the view seen by the raid team from the vantage point of the middle landing of the main stairs...
PS Woodcock later removed the rifle from Sheila's body at 11:10am, after police put rifle back onto body, after rifle was photographed at bedroom window...
Two photographs exist which show the position of the rifles barrel in different locations against Sheila`S neck - each of these photographs may have been taken either side of photograph 23, checkable by reference to the photographic negatives, showing the sequence with which these three photographs had been and were taken?
According to the contents of police statements nobody moved or touched anything save for DI Cook (SOC) who said he only moved Sheila`s hand so that he could photograph bloodstains on the nightdress?
But...
Surprise, surprise, police moved rifle about, off the body to the window, and then back onto the body, and these activities took place either side of the occasion when PC Bird took photograph 23...
At long last we are close to forcing Essex police to admit that its officers compromised the crime scene, which they blamed Jeremy for doing...