ALMOST 125,000 INNOCENT PEOPLE TO REMAIN ON NORTH WEST DNA DATABASE AFTER GOVERNMENT U-TURN
May 7, 2009 12:24 PM
One in five profiles on North West DNA Databases are from innocent people with no criminal conviction, according to research from Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunell. These latest figures come as Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announces that the government will hold the profiles for a further six years, despite a court ruling that retaining DNA samples of the innocent was unlawful.
The figures, released today by Mr Stunell show that:
• There were a total of 603,058 profiles on DNA Databases in the North West (minus replicates).
• 125,436 people on the database have never been convicted of any crime. Some were not even charged.
• Greater Manchester has the highest number of profiles in the North West, and the third highest in the UK, with 229,890 (minus replicates).
• Entering these profiles on to the database has cost the tax payer £41.2 million. £7.5 million could have been saved had the profiles of innocent people not been added in the first place.
• There are a total of 84,579 replicated profiles on the database, wasting almost £5.1 million.
In December Mr Stunell revealed that there were almost 900 children under the age of 13 on the DNA database in Greater Manchester alone.
Commenting today, Andrew Stunell said:
"This is a hugely disappointing decision. The ruling from the European Court of Human Rights in December was meant to bring justice to the thousands of innocent people who have their DNA unlawfully stored on this database. Instead Jacqui Smith and the Home Office seem determined to continue to criminalise them for a further six years.
"The government has little regard for guilt or innocence, and has rapidly built up the world's biggest DNA Database by stealth.
"They also seem to have little regard for the cost of putting innocent people on to the Database in the first place. Surely this money could have been spent on more effective policing methods?
"Despite the government's assertions, there is still little evidence to suggest that this enormous database of DNA from innocent people has led to a surge in crime detection rates.
"The government must abide by the court ruling immediately. The 125,000 innocent people on the DNA database should not have to fight another case in the European Court to establish their freedom from this Orwellian state."
ENDS
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