Can a sample of soil catch mum’s killer 16 years on?
FORENSICS experts investigating one of Scotland’s most notorious murders have made a breakthrough they believe could finally clear up the case – after 16 years.
Detectives hope to be able to solve the mystery of who killed Louise Tiffney, who disappeared from her home in Edinburgh in 2002.
The body of the 43-year-old mother was only found in April last year, buried in the grounds of the Gosford House Estate near Longniddry, East Lothian.
Experts have completed scientific analysis of the soil in which she was buried – and believe it exactly matches evidence found by police when Mrs Tiffney vanished.
Police have presented their findings to the Crown Office in the hope of bringing a fresh prosecution.
Before Mrs Tiffney’s body was found, her son Sean Flynn, then 21, was tried for her murder in 2005, but walked free after a jury found the charges not proven.
The discovery of her body last year gave investigators a fresh chance to solve the case. Some clothing was still on the corpse, presenting opportunities for DNA testing.
Soil expert Professor Lorna Dawson who helped prosecutors crack the World’s End murders 37 years after Angus Sinclair murdered Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, has been key to the reinvest- igation. It is understood soil from the deposition site has been matched conclusively to soil samples harvested during the original investigation and cold case officers hope the murder will be solved.
A source said: ‘When the case was first brought to trial, no body had been recovered. There was a compelling case, but without a body there will always be doubt.
‘Now a body has been recovered, which constitutes fresh evidence, but it has also provided opportunities that were not there before – such as the possibility of recovering DNA from the victim’s clothing and the potential to match relevant soil samples with the deposition site.
‘Forensic tests and other investigations are still being conducted, but detectives have reached the stage of informing the Crown of considerable progress and are seeking direction on what more they need to take the case to trial.’
The source said former Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland, QC, had set up the cold case unit of the Crown Office and had held it very close to his heart, so decisions on whether to prosecute such cases were taken fairly swiftly.
But he added that the current Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC, favoured a more cautious approach, which meant decisions tended to emerge after a greater period of consideration.
The source said: ‘The Lord Advocate is clearly a very thoughtful and capable lawyer, but he is not one to rush to judgments. Detectives are waiting for the word from him, and remain confident the case can now be solved and bring some relief to Louise Tiffney’s loved ones.’
Police Scotland yesterday confirmed a report had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: ‘Given this is a live investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.’
‘Confident case can now be solved’