The arrest of two staff members working within a forensic testing laboratory has made headlines this week. Both worked at the Randox facility in Manchester, and have been arrested on suspicion of Perverting the Course of Justice.
James Vaughan is the Deputy Chief Constable for Dorset Police, but is also recognised as a key police liaison for forensic outsourcing. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Vaughan emphasised how ‘deeply worrying’ the development was, given that the ‘integrity of forensic testing is sacrosanct in the criminal justice system.’
Whilst he has not ruled out the fact that murder and rape cases are involved, Mr Vaughan is quoted as saying that he believes the bulk of the 6,000 cases being reviewed are in fact drug driving offences.
This story illustrates how vital it is for the reliability of forensic testing to be maintained. Techniques such as blood analysis are at the heart of prosecutions for offences such as drug driving, and anything that puts their legitimacy in doubt is certainly a cause for concern.
Not only could existing convictions need to be re-examined, but people who have faced no further action could find themselves being scrutinised once more.
If you require advice relating to any of the issues raised within this article, please contact Ghaz Iqbal at ghaz.iqbal@harrisonbundey.co.uk or on 0113 200 7443.
