Another local case made use of 'Familial DNA' the fact that DNA is inherited . Police use of the technique of familial searching proved crucial in the investigation of Jason Ward, who was
jailed for life after admitting raping and murdering pensioner Gladys Godfrey. The success demonstrated
the full value that the familial searching technique could provide to police.
jailed for life after admitting raping and murdering pensioner Gladys Godfrey. The success demonstrated
the full value that the familial searching technique could provide to police.
The body of the 87-year-old was discovered in her home in a sheltered housing complex in Mansfield,
Nottingham, in September 2002. She had been sexually assaulted and had suffered a broken neck as well
as a fractured skull. A full DNA profile was gained from the scene .A year earlier the 4ft 11inches pensioner, who weighed six stone, had fought off a burglar at her home who
had attempted to sexually assault her. The man had fled with her handbag after she scratched his face,
tearing out an earring before hitting him with a lemonade bottle.
A partial profile was obtained from the first attack but was not sufficient to search against The National DNA
Database. The partial profile matched the full profile from the murder scene, which was again searched
against The National DNA Database but no match was found.
Police carried out an intelligence led DNA screen, sampling 1,100 men over a 15-month period, but no
match to the crime scene profile was made.
Familial searching was then used, which exploits the fact that DNA is inherited, to search The National
DNA Database for relatives of a suspect.
The familial search produced a match to a relative of Jason Ward. Police intelligence was then used to
trace Ward, whose DNA profile matched the crime scene stain. Ward, of Bentinck Street in Mansfield later
admitted murder, rape, indecent assault and burglary. The judge in the case ordered he should serve a
minimum of 22 years in jail.
“Familial searching proved crucial as Ward had moved away from the area so wouldn’t have been caught
by an intelligence-led screen and had no criminal record,” said an FSS analyst in the case.
Richard Pinchin, Head of The FSS Forensic Intelligence Bureau, said: “The police had no leads in this case
and it’s unlikely that there would have been a resolution in the near future. The result of Ward being jailed for
life demonstrates the added value that familial searching is able to provide.”
Detective Supt Kevin Flint of Nottinghamshire Police added: “Familial searching was of great intelligence
value to this enquiry and provided a major thrust some 12 months into the investigation. I would like to pay
tribute to the dedication and professionalism of everyone who worked on the enquiry.” So DNA sampling goes further than the perpetrator in that they can make a family connection . It would also at the same time eliminate any innocent party. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/3756991.stm \\\\...//// http://www.forensic.gov.uk/pdf/compa...rt-2004-05.pdf Unfortunately the Government plans to close the Forensic Science Service by March 2012. The Home Office, none the less, says the service loses 2 million Pounds a month, and that it's "confident the move would not adversely affect the criminal justice system".
Sara Payne retorted that "as a victims' advocate, I can tell you that 90% of most current sex offender cases rely on forensic services to prove their cases. Over the years we've worked with thousands of victims who wouldn't have got justice if it were not for the highly-regarded FSS. Roy Whiting, and countless other offenders I can think of, would not be in jail if it were not for the FSS."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12086869
