BOMB EXPERT IN 'VALIDATION' ROW
Bomb expert in 'validation' row
BY MICHAEL DONNELLY
A TOP forensic expert who claims he found "extremely strong" evidence, up to one in a billion, to link Omagh bomb accused Sean Hoey to two other bombings through Low Copy Number DNA tests, clashed with the defence over the accreditation and validation of those tests.
Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker admitted besides two other forensic laboratories in the UK, one in the Netherlands and in New Zealand, there are no other labs in the world using his technique.
Dr Whitaker further agreed with defence QC Orlando Pownall that in America the FBI does not use the technique for evidential purposes in court proceedings.
"We are not looking to the FBI as role models - or America," said the doctor.
However, the expert from the profit making Forensic Science Service in England, claimed the question had to be "kept within perspective".
He told the Belfast Crown Court trial of 37-year-old old Hoey from Mollys Road, Jonesborough, who denies a catalogue of 58 terrorist offences, that even the more widely accepted SGMplus DNA test procedure came under criticism when first developed.
Dr Whitaker in accepting that those questioning the Low Copy DNA technique were not "a small minority of skeptics", claimed that there will always be others who would be outspoken about new developments, but that was something which should be encouraged.
It has been revealed that while in a letter the FSS claims to have been accredited by the British Standards Institute, the Institute, in a letter to Hoey's solicitors, said they had not.
Dr Whitaker claimed that BSI had nothing to do with accrediting their test procedures, but with accrediting their labs.
He further claimed that FSS had been validated by the UK Accreditation Service, and that this was of more importance.
The forensic expert is to return to court tomorrow to clarify what accreditation the FSS has.
BY MICHAEL DONNELLY
A TOP forensic expert who claims he found "extremely strong" evidence, up to one in a billion, to link Omagh bomb accused Sean Hoey to two other bombings through Low Copy Number DNA tests, clashed with the defence over the accreditation and validation of those tests.
Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker admitted besides two other forensic laboratories in the UK, one in the Netherlands and in New Zealand, there are no other labs in the world using his technique.
Dr Whitaker further agreed with defence QC Orlando Pownall that in America the FBI does not use the technique for evidential purposes in court proceedings.
"We are not looking to the FBI as role models - or America," said the doctor.
However, the expert from the profit making Forensic Science Service in England, claimed the question had to be "kept within perspective".
He told the Belfast Crown Court trial of 37-year-old old Hoey from Mollys Road, Jonesborough, who denies a catalogue of 58 terrorist offences, that even the more widely accepted SGMplus DNA test procedure came under criticism when first developed.
Dr Whitaker in accepting that those questioning the Low Copy DNA technique were not "a small minority of skeptics", claimed that there will always be others who would be outspoken about new developments, but that was something which should be encouraged.
It has been revealed that while in a letter the FSS claims to have been accredited by the British Standards Institute, the Institute, in a letter to Hoey's solicitors, said they had not.
Dr Whitaker claimed that BSI had nothing to do with accrediting their test procedures, but with accrediting their labs.
He further claimed that FSS had been validated by the UK Accreditation Service, and that this was of more importance.
The forensic expert is to return to court tomorrow to clarify what accreditation the FSS has.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/671
Published Date: 09-Nov-06
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.