For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By OCB
#1657082
I guess most of us in here remember the news at the time.

Nothing will bring them back, but I think it’s well worth remembering that the British justice system (Police especially) will stick their teeth in, and never let go.

Plenty of reasons to complain about many aspects of the justice chain, but a result is a result.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6483781/Babes-Wood-killer-Russell-Bishop-jailed-life.html
By romille
#1657104
It amazing how many old unsolved crimes that are now being solved and the perpetrators locked up thanks to DNA and other new forensic techniques. I bet there are a few criminals who thought they had got away with crimes that are now looking over their shoulder waiting for the long arm of the law to bring them to justice.
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By Jim Jones
#1657129
It seems that it was a fluke piece of evidence was kept from the original investigation that contained DNA only now able to be identified.

The forensic science notion that “everywhere we go we leave something behind, and take something away”, has been proven true.

It’s powerful stuff, and needs the strength of the law to manage it properly.
By Bill Haddow
#1657131
romille wrote:It amazing how many old unsolved crimes that are now being solved and the perpetrators locked up thanks to DNA and other new forensic techniques. I bet there are a few criminals who thought they had got away with crimes that are now looking over their shoulder waiting for the long arm of the law to bring them to justice.


And it is not enough to rely on staying squeaky clean yourself, and not getting DNA tested ; your brothers', sisters', cousins', children's etc wrongdoings could yet undo you quite.

Bill H
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By OCB
#1657301
Bill, that’s a fantastic point - and one that I and many others made during the UK ID card debate.

As much as I’m a privacy advocate, for which I have actively campaigned, had nasty letters back and forth from Home Secretary etc, it’s a basic biological fact we cast off DNA like farts in the wind.

I will never understand those who think their dna is something “private” or personal. I’m maybe too much of science geek though.
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By eltonioni
#1657717
Seems more of an issue that the DNA tells other stories that have commercial and actuarial interests which seems a reasonable argument for tight DNA security.

As for freely given DNA data, there was that case in the States recently the perp' was identified through blood relatives DNA using geneology websites. https://www.newscientist.com/article/21 ... e-website/

It's good to see a crime confirmed and brought properly to justice after so many years, the police obviously always thought he'd done it and kept going back to it. Maybe we'll see various terrorists brought to task in future. eg, if the Birmingham Six didn't do it, the killers are still out there.