‘This note is intended to set out how medical opinion in relation to and the Court’s approach to “shaken baby syndrome” have developed.’
Six Pump Court, 22nd March 2018
Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk
‘In July 2014, police in Manchester arrested a 34-year-old man on suspicion of filming himself raping a child. In the video, the face of the perpetrator was hidden but his hands were visible.’
BBC News, 15th August 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The “smoke and mirror” tactics of defence lawyers in drink-driving cases have been criticised by the government’s forensic science regulator, who has launched an investigation into the work of a number of expert witnesses.’
The Guardian, 18th June 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Police officers are trampling over vital forensic evidence, are under-trained, and often do not know what they are looking for, MPs investigating digital disclosure problems have been told.’
The Guardian, 15th May 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘More than 30 criminal investigations – including 21 rape and sex assault cases – are being urgently reviewed after Scotland Yard admitted one of its forensic scientists could have botched vital examinations.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’
Family Law Week, 27th April 2018
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘More than a dozen police forces have outsourced digital forensic investigative work to unaccredited private laboratories in the past year, at a time when a series of rape cases have been abandoned because of problems with digital evidence.’
The Guardian, 12th February 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Police forces are failing to meet the official standards for forensic science, making miscarriages of justice inevitable, the government’s forensic regulator has said. In her annual report, Gillian Tully highlighted her growing concerns about the failure of some forensic firms used by the police to meet basic quality standards. It means innocent people could be wrongly convicted and offenders escaping justice.’
The Guardian, 19th January 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A “fit and active, robust little girl” suffocated after being sexually abused by her father, a coroner has ruled.’
The Guardian, 15th January 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The FDAC National Unit (NU) coordinates quarterly meetings for all FDAC substance misuse workers, to provide a forum for discussing issues arising from working in FDAC, which is a very different experience to working within adult treatment services. Issues that arise include being part of a multi-disciplinary team, working within the tight timescales of care proceedings, and the need to focus on the welfare of the child and the child’s timescales rather than solely on the parent/s. Issues relating to testing are also discussed regularly.’
Family Law, 9th January 2018
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘A police doctor has warned of potential miscarriages of justice in rape cases after medical examinations were outsourced to the private security company G4S.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th December 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Family analysis: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that it is treating some hair strand test results as potentially unreliable. Maud Davis, partner at TV Edwards LLP looks at what this could mean for proceedings involving children where there was a reliance on hair strand testing, and suggests next steps for family practitioners advising in this area.’
Family Law, 7th December 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘Expert witnesses who claim parents have been wrongly accused have been vilified and struck off. But the science is anything but certain. What happens to the truth when experts can’t agree?’
The Guardian, 8th December 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Police have suspended all contracts with a drug-testing company amid allegations of data manipulation.’
BBC News, 27th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘On 21 November the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal’s Service issued advice for those concerned about potentially unreliable forensic toxicology (drug) tests in some family cases. The advice also relates to criminal trials, but this post looks at the issue for people who have been involved with a family court case and who are worried that the test results may have been dodgy.’
Transparency Project, 23rd November 2017
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has released guidance for those concerned about potentially unreliable forensic toxicology tests. This follows police investigations into the potential manipulation of forensic toxicology test results at two private companies, Trimega Laboratories Limited and Randox Testing Services. The test results were used as expert evidence in England and Wales. The guidance includes examples which aim to help people understand where toxicology tests may have been used as part of decision making in court cases, and provides advice for those who believe their case may have been adversely affected by manipulated test results.’
Family Law, 24th November 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘The recent mass review of 10,000 criminal case samples shows what can happen when commercial demands get in the way of vital public services.’
The Guardian, 27th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The government’s forensic regulator has called for fresh scrutiny of drug and alcohol testing carried out for the family courts, after a scandal at a Manchester laboratory raised doubts about the quality of evidence used in thousands of child custody proceedings.’
The Guardian, 24th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Around 50 drug-driving prosecutions have been dropped because original test results may have been “manipulated”.’
BBC News, 21st November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Emily James and Kate Tompkins, barristers of 36 Family, consider a new judgment in which Sir Peter Jackson affirmed, and offered guidance on, current testing arrangements.’
Family Law Week, 12th October 2017
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
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