A6 Rebooted

[djw]

Someone involved in forensics has posted on linkedin

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonathan-whitaker-0a846650_it-is-just-over-20-years-since-the-forensic-activity-7124433926588145664-95lE?trk=public_profile_like_view

It is just over 20 years since the Forensic Science Service developed the Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA profiling method for application to retained exhibits in the James Hanratty case. The increased sensitivity of the LCN method meant that there was a greater chance of obtaining successful DNA profile result in which a low amount of DNA might be expected; however even though an LCN method was applied it did not implicitly follow that the DNA sample would contain a low template amount of DNA. LCN methodology was questioned during the 2007 Omagh bombing case. Concern was raised about scientific validation and sample integrity. Following the judgment, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in discussion with CPS, wrote to Chief Constables recommending that the police should operate an interim suspension on the use of LCN DNA analysis. Between 21/12/07 and 14/1/08 CPS carried out an internal review and concluded that LCN DNA analysis provided by the FSS should remain available as potentially admissible evidence. Just prior to the Omagh verdict the Forensic Science Regulator commissioned an expert review of "low template DNA analysis", including the LCN service offered by the FSS. The review, led by Professor Brian Caddy of Strathclyde University, began on 8/11/07 and delivered its report in April 2008. The Caddy Review concluded that there was no reason to believe that there was any inherent unreliability in the LCN DNA analysis process which had been validated by the FSS in accordance with its internal validation procedures. LCN methodology was applied to many high profile cases from many different countries: R v James Hanratty - samples from semen staining on knickers of female victim and from mucous staining on a handkerchief wrapped around gun matched the deceased remains of JH who was exhumed to obtain reference samples. Australia: R v Bradley Murdoch 2005 Australia - disappearance of Peter Falconio R v Bradley Edwards , Western Australia case of the Claremont Serial Killings Scotland: R v Angus Sinclair (World’s End murders). England: R v Ian Lowther murder of Mary Gregson) R v Tony Jasinskyj murder of Marion Croft Wales: Llandarcy murders, Joseph Kappen (first application of familial searching led to identification of the suspect) - exhumation of suspect led to refernce samples being obtained. R v Mark Hansom murder of Geraldine Palk Sweden: murder of Anna Lindh. Ireland: R v Noel Long murder of Nora Sheehan

[djw]

I've now finished Executed by Rob Harriman. Chapters are not numbered but ten or so out of twelve or so are about DNA testing. This includes what DNA profiles were found on exhibits, the cycles to amplify this, the composite profile produced for Hanratty, what a match means, what loci constitute a match, what the probability of matching to a different persons DNA is measured in Bayes odds and the way this is relayed in court by expert witnesses, the FSS, judges and juries. Its not clear if LCN test or SGM plus was used, if Hanratty's alleles match and what epithelial sample testing is. The particular LCN test is also questioned for reliability and error rate. The Liverpool alibi is sympathetically treated relying on the testimony of Mrs Dinwoodie and some others.

[ansonman]

Truth is stranger than fiction. Trouble is, in the case of Hanratty, we will never get to the truth. At least not in my lifetime.

[djw]

I've also just noticed new fiction by David J Cooper titled Hanratty - The Final Curtain

[djw]

I've also just noticed new fiction by David J Cooper titled Hanratty - The Final r

[ansonman]

I cannot find any reviews of the book except this rather short one. I don't get the feeling there is much if any new material but will be happy to be proved wrong. Well spotted as the book was only published a week ago.

Executed: But was James Hanratty Innocent?: A Damning Indictment of the DNA Evidence Used to Condemn Him
by
Robert Harriman

Tamara's review
Jul 18, 2023
it was amazing
** spoiler alert ** Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This book was well written and it made me angry with the court system. I firmly believe James Hanratty was railroaded and more than likely the so called DNA evidence was contaminated by improper handling. Unfortunately Britain's judicial system will never admit to this. In my opinion he was murdered by his on country.

[djw]

On 4 August 2023, Rob Harriman published 'Executed: But was James Hanratty innocent?'

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Executed-But-was-James-Hanratty-Innocent-Hardback/p/23769

Harriman previously published 'Hanratty: The DNA travesty' in 2014. I wonder if there is lots of new material? It also claims to be the first to review the courts decision but haven't several been published since then? Leonard Miller, Paul Stickler etc.

[moste]

I’ve been really immersed in the Nicola Bulley case of late. The coroner report due out late June , I fear and I have warned folks to be ready for a Hanratty type sham. Where the whole **** and caboodle will be swept under the carpet.

[moste]

Where would you start indeed. Cobalt ,You do have a knack of putting things into prospective.

Hi, Julie good to see you back.

[cobalt]

Limehouse has used the word ‘complex’ to describe the A6 Case and that has become a well known euphemism issued by police when they are faffing around and haven’t got a clue what is going on. We often hear that ‘The inquiry is fast moving, complex and ongoing.’ But in the A6 Case it is entirely appropriate in terms of motive.

Consider the problems the police had in the A6 Case. It seemed to be a simple case of robbery, albeit at gunpoint which was unusual for the time. Except the goods were returned to the victims. Or was it ‘carjacking?’ Not quite, since the car was still in the field for some time after the initial approach. Were we now talking kidnapping? Yes, but a kidnapping surely has some intended aim to be achieved. Yet this kidnapper stopped for petrol, cigarettes and ‘a kip.’ The crime then degenerated into murder and rape. Five possible motives, none of which seemed to have any clear purpose.

Purely for the purposes of hypothesis, what if the investigating police had not been able to obtain testimony from Valerie Storie, the victim who against all odds survived the ordeal? What would they have made of a car last seen in Taplow turning up near a London tube station, with the occupants lying dead 25 miles away in a lay-by at Deadman’s Hill? Where would you start?

[ansonman]

A copy of the Roger Matthews report has been located at the Ministry of Justice but they have exercised an exemption from disclosure according to this FOI request https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque...opolitan_polic

Well done in finding it. The very fact that the report remains under wraps says it all.

[Limehouse]

Hello A6 contributors,

It has been a long time since I contributed to these boards, and this thread in particular, but it is nice to see the debate is still bubbling along.

Nothing has changed concerning my view of this case. I am convinced Hanratty was innocent and the real killer was an unknown man who disappeared into the mists of time. The case remains complex and intriguing, almost as if it jumped out of the pages of a notable crime novelist.

I will try to visit the site more often and perhaps catch up with more of the current debate. Meanwhile, take care all.

[djw]

A copy of the Roger Matthews report has been located at the Ministry of Justice but they have exercised an exemption from disclosure according to this FOI request https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque...opolitan_polic

[Sherlock Houses]

Episodes 2 and 3 of "Cold Case Forensics" are available for viewing on ITVX for anyone interested. They concern the murders of Lynette White and Stephen Lawrence.

[Sherlock Houses]

Four weeks ago, under the title "Cold Case Forensics" ITV screened a documentary [the first of several murder cases] about the 1992 murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common. The original police suspect, Colin Stagg was charged with the murder and brought to trial in 1994. Stagg was proven completely innocent and the case against him completely collapsed.

In 2002 world-leading forensic scientist Dr.Angela Gallop and her team were brought in to try and find out the identity of the real killer, who turned out to be one Robert Napper.

Here is a transcription of an important part of that documentary.....

The process of taking tapings, where adhesive tape is applied to the skin to collect small items of evidence, had been used on Rachel's body. Angela asked her team to take a closer look at these........"When I carried out a review of the DNA results that had been previously generated from the body tapings I found that no DNA profile had been obtained from them." [Andrew McDonald, DNA Lead Scientist, Cellmark].

Not only was there no DNA from any attacker there was no trace of Rachel's own DNA, despite the fact that the tapings had been taken from intimate areas of her own skin. "The fact that we obtained no profile at all was an unexpected finding to me." [Andrew McDonald].

"When we were faced with a sample that hadn't given any DNA results at all, when it really should at least have given the result from Rachel herself in this intimate part of her body, then we knew that something was very wrong because you can't have that sort of finding without finding a proper explanation for it. You can't have a loose end like that. Forensic scientists don't like loose ends." [Dr. Angela Gallop].

So what had gone wrong, and could it have caused the police to miss the real killer ?. A decade after Rachel Nickell was brutally murdered on Wimbledon Common, forensic scientist Dr. Angela Gallop was on the hunt for the killer. Angela and lead examiner, April Robson, had gone back to the original forensic test results and got a surprise. Previous reports showed that tapings taken from Rachel's body had found no DNA at all - not even Rachel's own. "This immedately set off a concern in our minds because what they were looking for was these tiny traces of the offender, but also captured on the taping would have been a lot of skin flakes from Rachel herself, and they certainly should have got a DNA result from Rachel's DNA, but in the event they got absolutely nothing. So this told us that there was very likely to be something wrong with the technique they used or the way in which they used it." [Dr Angela Gallop].

The original tests on the tapings from Rachel's body had been carried out using the best option available to scientists at the time. This was a DNA profiling test called Low Copy Number or LCN. But more recent prominent cases have revealed LCN to be a technique with severe limitations. In 2007, after three-year old Madeleine McCann went missing while on holiday in the Algarve an LCN test appeared to show traces of Madeleine's DNA in the boot of a hire car used by her parents, Gerry and Kate. The discovery meant the couple spent some time under the suspicion of the police and the international media. But the LCN test result had been unreliable. The test had found components which were part of Madeleine's DNA, but these were far from unique to her. In fact they were so common they were even shared by some of the forensic scientists brought in to review the evidence.The LCN test could clearly lead to suspicion falling upon innocent people. But could it also lead to a murderer remaining free ?

Back in 2002, as they began their review of the Rachel Nickell case, Angela Gallop and her team were already suspicious of the LCN test. They wondered if the technique used by the original investigation had "swamped" the DNA, so that no traces had been found. "We repeated some of this work on the tiny amount of extract that was left from these tapings that the original scientists had made. And we discovered the same thing, that if you use the most sensitive technique then you get absolutely nothing. But if you start diluting the amount of DNA that you're using then you started to get results." [Dr. Angela Gallop].

Angela and her team abandoned the LCN method and retested the tapings using the standard technique. For the first time two DNA profiles began to show up.