French rape probe hits same pitfall as Limerick twins case
The French investigation centres on a series of rapes in Marseilles. The Limerick case involved the rape of a middle-aged woman on her way home from bingo.
One of two French brothers, whose first names are Elwin and Yohan, is suspected of six rapes, but police say even with DNA they cannot figure out which of the two is the culprit as they are identical twins.
Chief investigator Emmanual Kiehl said regular DNA tests were incapable of differentiating between the twins.
Local newspaper La Provence quoted a DNA expert as saying: “For a normal analysis we compare 400 base pairs. But with identical twins we would be looking at billions.”
Investigating police said victims were able to identify the suspects, but could not visually tell them apart.
In 2007 it emerged the DPP directed gardaí in Limerick that a case against a suspected rapist be dropped as he was an identical twin.
The rape occurred in 2003. The victim, a middle-aged woman, was dragged to waste ground as she was walking home at night and subjected to a brutal attack.
DNA samples from the victim matched that of the accused, but it was later discovered he was an identical twin.
Although there was strong evidence against the suspect, the DPP decided not to prosecute after the accused’s brother refused to co-operate with gardaí.
