Triple Helix
Joanne Millington, Forensic Science Service & Anthony Haycroft, Barrister, Outer Temple, London

This session aims to convey the key scientific and court-based issues which arose during the investigation into the death of a Kent teenager in 2006. The case generated a mass of complex scientific (blood and DNA) evidence which brought challenges in interpretation and ultimately in presentation to the court.

These challenges were addressed through close collaboration of scientists and counsel and involved the design of bespoke experimentation to investigate defence scenarios. Through a joint presentation the authors hope to illustrate how complex issues can be resolved and offer a resource for future reference. This includes an appreciation of the difference between scientific and legal proof.

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Next Generation STR Multiplex Kits - Background and Development
Dora Quest, QIAGEN


With the move towards more effective data sharing in Europe, the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) DNA working group recommended the inclusion of five new STR markers in commercially available STR multiplex kits – with the aim of increasing the common marker set across Europe from 7 to 12 and improving degraded DNA analysis. Suppliers have responded to this request and developed STR multiplex systems that include the new markers and also have a number of additional benefits requested by the forensic community.

Purchase price includes the power-point presentation used within the session.

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Forensic Scientist – Provider of Information
Caroline Crawford & Clare Stangoe, Forensic Access


Discussing their experiences as a scientist, giving information to the courts as both a prosecution and defence scientist. The presentation will cover;

• Complex DNA profiles – the courts rarely understand them.
• Brief prosecution statements – we spend a lot of time explaining them.
• Stats – courts do not understand them. Discussion of what could be done in cases with no stat.
• Activity level interpretation – rarely present in statements.
• Less spending by police means briefer reports.
• All of the above using case examples.

Purchase price includes the power-point presentation used within the session.

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RNA in Forensic Genetics
Dr Marielle Vennemann, Strathclyde University


Gene expression is tissue specific and therefore the composition of RNA pools is supposed to differ between different types of body fluid. In recent years numerous studies have been published focusing on the possible use of RNA markers for body fluid identification in forensic science.

This talk will give a brief overview of different RNA species and their stability in crime scene stains. The potential use of RNA markers for body fluid identification, but also for post-mortem gene expression analysis, will be discussed.

Purchase price includes the power-point presentation used within the session.

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Coastal Path Murders – Historical Case Presentation
Philip Avenell, LGC Forensics

On 27 May 2011 John William Cooper was convicted of the double murders of brother and sister Richard & Helen Thomas at Scoveston Manor in 1985; the double murders of husband and wife Peter and Gwenda Dixon on the Pembrokeshire coastal path in 1989; and, the rape, sexual assault, and five counts of attempted armed robbery in Milford Haven in 1996. These incidents all occurred in the county of Pembrokeshire, and are amongst the worst crimes ever carried out in Dyfed Powys Police Forces’ history.

This presentation will give a summary of the case and the forensic findings; focusing particularly on the DNA profiling evidence and its presentation at court.

Purchase price includes the power-point presentation used within the session.

(The Society apologies for the obstruction in view of the screen during the video)

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Likelihood Ratios for LTDNA (Low Template DNA)
Professor David Balding, University College London Genetics Institute

The talk will recap the model for computing likelihood ratios for Low Template DNA profiles developed in Balding DJ, Buckleton J (2009) Interpreting low template DNA profiles. Forensic Sci Int Genet 4(1), 1-10 doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.03.003 and discuss various developments to allow for masking, relatedness, multiple replicates, different models for dropout, and for computing a single LR eliminating nuisance parameters such as dropout and drop in rates.

The latter issue is particularly important when the prosecution and defence hypotheses posit different numbers of contributors. The discussion will be illustrated with references to several recent UK cases.

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