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GOVERNMENT MUST LISTEN TO THE FATHER OF DNA DATABASE AND REMOVE INNOCENTS

September 10, 2009 12:00 AM

Commenting on calls from Sir Alec Jeffreys, the founder of DNA fingerprinting, for innocents to be removed from the National DNA Database, Jenny Willott, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, said:

"The credibility and legitimacy of the Government's policy to retain innocent people's DNA is in tatters.

"Around 25,000 innocent people in Wales have been added to the DNA database under this government, including over 2,500 since the practice was ruled a breach of human rights in December last year.

"Retaining the DNA of innocent people has now been rejected by leading scientists, the European Court of Human Rights, a citizen's jury and now by the founding father of the Database itself.

"The Government has seriously damaged the fundamental pillar of our justice system that people are innocent until proven guilty. This must be restored by moving policy in line with Scotland and removing those who are innocent from the DNA database without any further delays."

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