Forensic and Crime Science News Autumn 2009

Dr. Roger Summers, Senior Lecturer in Forensic and Crime Science, was called in by the Lebanese authorities and Ethiopian Ailrines to lead the disaster victim identification protocols and strategies involved with this disaster.  He also acted as Forensic liaison between all countries involved.  These experiences will be utilised within his teaching of current students.

On Monday evening 25th January 2010, a Boeing 737-800 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea in stormy weather shortly after takeoff from Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport.  None of the 90 passengers and crew on board survived.

The plane crashed into the Mediterranean Sea about three kilometres off the coastal village of Naameh, five kilometres from the Lebanese capital, Beirut.  The flight was carrying 82 passengers and 8 crew.  51 of the passengers were Lebanese and 23 Ethiopian.  2 were British nationals and the remaining 6 were Turkish, French, Russian, Canadian, Syrian and Iraqi citizens.  Witnesses said the plane was on fire shortly after take off.  A Lebanese defence official said others reported that the plane broke up into three pieces.  A lightening strike is rumoured to have been the cause of the accident but at the time of writing this document, no official confirmation has been made.  It is believed that 26 bodies have been recovered.  An army spokesperson said “5 of the dead have been identified as Ethiopians”.

According to the Lebanese Transportation Minister, Ghazi Aridi, the pilot made a fast and strange turn minutes after takeoff and flew in the opposite direction from the path recommended by the control tower.

The professional relationships forged with both medical personnel/pathologists, senior executives of Ethiopian Airlines and the senior officers of the International Security Services, Beirut are well founded and worthy of future developments in the interests of International Disaster Victim Identification protocols and strategies which will enhance our meaningful international relationships, which Roger has been encouraged to pursue further.

Dr Karl Harrison to present at Society for American Archaeology Conference 2010.

The Society for American Archaeology is the largest organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas in the world. The Society was founded in 1934 and today has over 7000 members.

The SAA's 75th Anniversary Conference will be held in St Louis, MO in April 2010.  Dr Harrison has been asked to feature in a specialist Conference sub-group concentrating on Forensic Archaeology.  He will present on his current research on the integration of fire investigation and buildings archaeology, and also chair a session focusing on the application of best practice standards to operational forensic archaeology.

Michael Allen BA (Oxon), MSc (Strathclyde)

Mike is a consultant forensic document examiner with over twenty five years experience.  He started his career with the Home Office Forensic Science Service in 1983 and moved on in 1992 to set up, with several colleagues, Document Evidence Limited offering a forensic document examination service to the police, the defence and to those in the civil sector.

Mike has given evidence in hundreds of cases across the judicial spectrum, the most notorious case being the trial of Dr Harold Shipman at Preston Crown Court in 1999.

He was the Lead Assessor for the specialty of Questioned Document Examination for the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) for the first six years following its inception.  He is the manager of the Diploma in Questioned Document examination for the Forensic Science Society and is a Technical Assessor in the same specialty for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) assessing laboratories against ISO17025.

Mike is an external lecturer at a number of universities and joined Staffordshire University as an honorary teaching fellow in the summer of 2009.  He is finalising his PhD studies into the development of handwriting in children.

11 students from Alsager School came to visit the University’s Forensic and Chemistry laboratories on Friday 4th December 2009. The visit consisted of a two hour tour and demonstrations of the Analytical equipment. The main focuses of the Chemistry topics were Spectroscopy and Chromatography. Students were able to investigate the inner workings of machinery used in everyday Forensic analysis and explore the ideas behind why certain techniques are better for particular examinations.
Demonstrations of the GC, GC-MS, and TLC were given to support lecture handouts on Chromatography; FTIR, VSC, UV-Vis and Raman demonstrations supported the Spectroscopy notes.
As well as exploring the various instruments in our Chemistry labs; the students were intrigued to know more about the Crime Scene work undertaken in the laboratory. These interests were addressed by touring the Criminalistics Lab and discussing the range of techniques available in processing footwear marks, fingerprints, glass fragments, inks and forged documents, and DNA.
The morning was a great success; not only did students find it interesting and fun, but the material added further support to the work they are currently doing for their BTECs.

“It was great to visit the University”       “We got to see and use machines that aren’t available at school”
 “It was really fun to see the experiments, especially seeing the different inks in the forged cheque”
“Nothing could be improved in the tour, we had all the information and the chance to use it by doing experiments which were helpful”
“A very interesting tour”      “Excellent pitch of information”

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Workshop,  Weds 2nd December 2-4pm in S002, Mellor Building
 
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is a UK-wide programme to encourage business/knowledge base collaborations. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships help businesses and organisations to improve their competitiveness and/or productivity through the use of the knowledge, technology and skills that reside within academic institutions. Further details can be found at http://www.ktponline.org.uk/ 
 
Professor John Cassella will provide a short presentation to give an overview of his experience in gaining a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with a regional company SciChem (Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd http://www.scichem.com/).  From the initial casual discussions about shared interests and insights in Science Education in the UK to the collaborative work and scoping exercises to full KTP application and recruitment of the KTP associate.
 
 
Phil Morton KTP Associate SciChem/Staffordshire University will then give an interactive demonstration entitled 'My Job is Real Murder' to highlight his role as an associate.  Phil is a former undergraduate student in Forensic Science and current Masters student in the Faculty.  He has been involved in the KTP from the initial scoping exercises with the company to successful application for the KTP associate position.  He will outline his role and in doing so give his insights into the KTP process from an associates perspective.

The work of Lecturer in Forensic Investigation, Dr Karl Harrison, was instrumental in the safe recovery of the remains of Ermatati Rodgers, that had been buried in a hidden grave outside Wrexham in January 2008.

Careful forensic recovery of the remains of Ms Rodgers by Dr Harrison enabled Home Office Pathologist Dr Brian Rogers to reach an opinion of strangulation as a cause of death.

Lukasz Reszpondek, who stood accused of the murder of Ms Rodgers, has since been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.

November 2009.

On 30 and 31 October, and 1 November 2009, the Forensic Science Society held its Autumn conference at which it celebrated its 50th anniversary.  This conference was opened by HRH The Princess Royal.  Andrew Jackson was honoured to be invited by the Society, in his capacity as deputy chair of its standards committee, to be one of the party that briefed Princess Anne on the work of that organisation.

Further details of the event are currently available from
http://www.forensic-science-society.org.uk/ 

The "Wear It Pink" breast cancer event was supported by the faculty once again this year on Friday 30th October 2009.

Many members of staff Wore it Pink for the day. Many pink and other cakes were cooked by Laura Walton, Claire Gwinnett, Jodie Dunnett and Sarah Fieldhouse and sold to raise money.

Well done - £196 was raised from their efforts and donations from staff and students.

Principal Lecturer in Forensic Science, Graham Harrison, retired in October 2009.

Many staff and retired colleagues attended a small celebration to wish Graham all the best for his future.

Forensic and Crime Science has been joined by Allan Jamieson as a visiting Professor of Forensic Science. Professor Jamieson’s heads the Forensic Institute in Glasgow.

The Forensic Institute provides specialist forensic scientific and medical expertise and have been involved in some of the country’s highest profile cases including the Omagh Bomb trial, several successful ‘shaken baby’ appeals, the trial of Peter Tobin, and the inquest into the death of HRH Diana, Princess of Wales.

Allan was recently in Cairo assisting the Egyptian Government’s inquiry into anaesthetic deaths.

Allan and his team will be able to share their skills with the students undertaking the very successful Forensic and Policing courses which run at the University.

Professor Allan Jamieson (Right) with Professor John Cassella at the 2009 Graduation ceremony for the Faculty of Sciences.

Forensic Science at Staffordshire University works with Primecare Forensic Medical to deliver a new bespoke University Learning Award

Primecare Forensic Medical Police is part of the Nestor Healthcare Group plc. They are a 24-hour business providing healthcare services to a number of police authorities throughout the country.  Primecare Forensic Medical offers both in- and out-of-hours healthcare solutions to secure establishments, police forces and immigration centres, offering a highly developed service providing care to patients presented in unique and challenging environments.

As part of their staff development to keep at the top of their profession Primecare and Forensic and Crime Science at Staffordshire University have successfully delivered the first of four modules leading to a bespoke University Learning Award, the first of its kind in the UK.
The first module on forensic awareness concluded with a 2 day workshop in the University’s Crime Scene House where Primecare staff worked through Crime Scenes – one involving a murder - in order to consolidate their learning on aspects of forensic science from the Crime Scene to the Courtroom.

Our Forensic and Crime Science department has forged a unique partnersip with "ThinkForensic.co.uk" to deliver a series of workshops aimed at giving students from Staffordshire schools an insight into the fascinating world of forensic science. Students are invited to the university for a day of science and intrigue as they work their way through a “who dunnit” scenario.

Following an initial briefing it’s a visit to the university’s crime scene house where, guided by Think Forensic’s crime scene experts, the students become “superslueths” exploring the scene of the crime for themselves. Evidence such as blood spatter, entomology, fingerprints, hair and fibre etc. is gathered and taken back to the university laboratories where, following analysis, the students reach their own scientific conclusion.
Workshops are suitable for all ages but are particularly useful as a STEM activity, to enhance B Tech courses and Applied Science Curriculum or as Aim higher Programmes.

In collaboration with the Forensic Science Department at Staffordshire University, Think Forensic will provide:-

• Interactive workshops specifically tailored to any age and ability
  

• Seminars and presentations for full year groups
  

• “Who dunnits” and crime scene scenarios
  

• A web site containing ready prepared worksheets for teachers with busy schedules and students who want to develop their own skills
  

• Forensic science and crime scene resource kits suitable for KS3, KS4 and post 16
  

• Online point of advice and assistance
  
  

Further information can be obtained from Think Forensic