A presumption of future possible guiltyishness

Today the Home Affairs Select Committee heard evidence on the retention of innocent DNA samples from Sir Alec Jeffreys - the man who developed techniques for DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling which are now used all over the world.

While Big Brother Watch could sadly not be there, the tireless Lobbydog - a prolific blogger of Westminster gossip - has provided a brief transcript of the key exchanges that I felt were worth sharing on our blog.

As reported by Lobbydog:

“If my DNA were to be put on the database I would object profoundly against that,” said Sir Alec Jeffreys at a hearing of the Home Affairs Committee.

“What advantage is it to me, as an entirely blameless citizen? The best outcome is that my DNA would sit there cluttering up a fridge and that my DNA profile would sit there cluttering up the database.

“The worst that could happen is that there is some glitch in the database that made a false match to my DNA profile and that brings me into the frame of a criminal investigation which has very serious repercussions.”

Crucially, Sir Alec finished by saying that if he’d known his DNA analysis would be used by the Government in the way it has, he’d have been “astonished, perplexed and deeply worried”.

“I’ve always understood that one of the great foundations of English law was a presumption of innocence, but obviously now there is a presumption of future possible guiltyishness,” he said.

He makes several other excellent points against why innocent DNA should be removed from the database (including the increased likelihood of false matches between family members – who share similar DNA profiles) - the full report really is a must read.

By Dylan Sharpe

Comments

[PSCO's are tossers]

Hi I just saw this video it so out raged me I thought I must post it on bigbrotherwatch the PCSO in the video is a complete fucking ashole nazzi wanker just take a look at how appalingly they treat this female italian student this coutry is fucked!!!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/dec/15/police-terrorism

[J. Swale]

PSCO's are tossers | 02/03/2010 at 03:43 PM

I have just watched the video you referenced, and I could not agree more.

That little sh!t is everything that has gone wrong with this country. He should be emasculated, and not in a nice way. POS.

[Ian R. Thorpe]

Is it any surprise a government that has talked of making refusal to accept a vaccine, incorrectly or incompletely filling in official forms or opposing official policy on climate change criminal offences would be prepared to consider summary justice?

[418]

"an entirely blameless citizen": this is a contradiction in terms, according to those who govern us.

[Jimbo]

@PSCO's are tossers

See here and tell me what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKl2sEN4yNM

[Dave Neil]

That little sod of a plastic plod needs a good hard kicking and a shift in a rather horrible sink estate.
Wrong way down a one way street!

[LeChiffre]

Filth!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un1SLypyoow&feature=related

"Metropolitan policeman takes a stick from a protester, and refuses to give number / receipt. Judge, jury and executioner all in one. The Metropolitan police have since issued an apology for the inc..."

[Lee]

Good grief, you lot are bringing these videos up as if they are news !

: )

There are literally hundreds of these videos, this culture of aggressive and confrontational *'community support'* has been growing over the last 5-10 years.

The little fella' in the Oxford Circus video (posted by 'Jimbo' above) - the one barking commands, demanding ID, pushing the camera around - he still works the very same patch, I spotted him a few months back.