Cases dropped as forensics lab at centre of probe

Two arrested over data manipulation

Scores of prosecutions have been dropped and several convictions hang in the balance after 10,000 potential cases of data manipulation were identified at a forensics lab.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said forensic tests across 42 police forces – including rapes and murders – were being considered possibly unreliable and needed reexamining.

Three-quarters of the cases were traffic offences such as drug driving, with the rest including violent crime, sexual offences and unexplained deaths, spanning back to 2013.

Toxicology tests are carried out to detect the presence of drugs or alcohol in someone’s hair, blood or urine and can be relied on as evidence in court.

The Forensic Science Regulator said in terms of numbers of cases, it was the biggest issue of its kind ever to happen in the UK.

Two men have been arrested and five interviewed under caution by Greater Manchester Police over the alleged manipulation by individuals working at a Randox Testing Services (RTS) site in Manchester

The alleged misconduct emerged earlier this year when a data anomaly in a drug driving case was reported to RTS.

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan, the NPCC forensic expert, said: “This is of grave concern to me, it is of great concern to policing and our partners in criminal justice and we are taking it extremely seriously and provided a nationally co-ordinated and very swift, robust response, to understand more detail.”

Potential data manipulation at a separate facility, Trimega Laboratories, is also being investigated by Greater Manchester Police. It is understood the two suspects arrested in connection with the alleged malpractice also worked for Trimega.

The NPCC revealed retesting was either complete or under way for around 70% of the 900 highest priority cases,with the rest expected to be completed by mid-2018.

A total of 275 murders and around 900 rapes are being reappraised.

No one has yet to be charged over the alleged manipulation, but Mr Vaughan said: “It is a hugely complex investigation that will take many more months to resolve.”

“It is a hugely complex investigation”

A young girl places a candle as families of some of the 21 victims of the Birmingham pub bombings gather for a memorial service at St Phillips Cathedral, Birmingham.

The service precedes a High Court legal bid next month, brought by some of the families, ahead of forthcoming inquests into their loved ones’ deaths.