DNA identifies suspects in 30 unsolved crimes

More than 30 prime suspects in long-term unsolved crimes in the UK, mainly rapes, have been identified by using modern DNA analysis, it emerged today.

Operation Advance, conducted by the Forensic Science Service (FSS), looked at 213 cases where DNA traces were found but not matched to any profile on the national DNA database.

Over 90% of these cases, which date back to the early 1990s, were serious sexual assaults, the FSS said.

In all 213 cases, the DNA was identified by an early form of analysis.

One of the problems with this older technique was that it produced too many matches on the database.

Analysed by the modern techniques, DNA profiles from these crime scenes were ran back through the national database.

Currently 76 “usable” profiles have been produced giving 31 matches to names on the database, effectively giving police a prime suspect in these unsolved cases.

The FSS believes this figure will rise as more of the scientifically complicated cases are completed.

The news means decades-old crimes could potentially be solved using similar processes.

DNA evidence was crucial in the failure of James Hanratty’s posthumous conviction appeal.

In May, 2002, the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction when three judges ruled that DNA evidence established his guilt “beyond doubt”.

Hanratty, 25, went to the gallows on April 4, 1962, for the notorious A6 murder in Bedfordshire, in which scientist Michael Gregsten, 36, was shot dead.

In August last year, mini-cab driver Nick Keall was jailed for eight years for raping an au pair in May, 1989.

Keall was caught by detectives in the Metropolitan Police’s Cold Case Review team, a dedicated unit which investigates stranger rapes which occurred several years ago.

Keall was charged because his DNA, taken after he was arrested for an assault in December 2001, matched the DNA profile taken from the rape crime scene.