POLICE forces across Europe are checking Britain’s National DNA Database to crack unsolved crimes in their own countries.
Foreign cops are liaising with experts at the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham who manage the database on behalf of the Home Office.
And in the case of the most serious crimes, Midland scientists may help the foreign investigations by checking samples gathered abroad against those on the NDNAD.
There are around four million DNA samples held in Birmingham which have been taken from people arrested on suspicion of a crime – no matter what level the offence.
Yet some critics are concerned that collecting and storing DNA samples in this way, including from those never convicted of any criminal offence, is an infringement of civil liberties.
And the news foreign forces are now using the British database to solve their own crimes could add to their unease.
Britain is considered to be the world leader in DNA technology.
Mark Carrington, International Director for the Forensic Science Service, admitted foreign police regularly contact the organisation for advice.
He said: “In some cases we will check crime samples that police forces from across Europe have gathered against our NDNAD. This is usually if there has been a particularly nasty crime, including violent offences, rapes and often burglary cases too.
“The European forces may have serious suspicions that the suspect may have absconded to Britain, or lived here previously.
“It is a way of assisting cross border security.”
Checks
While the FSS can help foreign police by running checks on the NDNAD, more often international authorities call on the experts for help in developing their own DNA techniques.
The Birmingham-based specialists have so far assisted 60 countries, including the US, Holland, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Last week the Sunday Mercury revealed the FSS had signed a contract to help the Canadian Mounties catch criminals. And Mr Carrington said the service is also working with the Indian Government to help it to set up a National DNA Database. He said: “Quite a few countries have DNA databases now and they are often looking to us to see how they can develop these further.
“The US uses them, for example, as do many European countries.
“We have also liaised with the Indian Government which is looking to use DNA databases as well. The country has 27 states and early indications show they may look to set this up on a state by state basis.
“We can advise them on how to store the DNA and how to put their databases together.”
Midland scientists have played a crucial role in investigating some of the most notorious international crimes. Their latest cases include helping Antiguan police catch the killers of murdered British honeymoon couple Ben and Catherine Mullany.
Mrs Mullany, 31, a doctor, died instantly after being shot in what is believed to have been a botched robbery. Her 31 year-old husband, a trainee physiotherapist, died in hospital in Swansea after being taken home in a coma.
British scientists, based in Birmingham, were the first in the world to set up a DNA database to investigate crimes.
It was started in 1995 following an investigation into the murder of two schoolgirls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in Narborough, Leicestershire, in 1983 and 1986.
A mass screening of the town eventually led to the conviction of Colin Pitchfork.
All 5,000 male adults in the three villages nearby volunteered to provide blood or saliva samples. Pitchfork, a local baker, was subsequently arrested and his DNA profile matched with the semen from both murders. In 1988 he was sentenced to life.
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