The Investigator - Digital Online Magazine

Latest News > 02 Aug 12 - LGC Forensics provides key evidence in 1966 murder case

LGC Forensics, the UK's largest independent provider of forensic services, has been working closely with Thames Valley Police on the re-investigation of the 1966 death of 17-year-old Yolande Waddington.

Using advanced forensic techniques not available during the original police investigation, LGC Forensics' scientists were able to successfully extract DNA evidence from exhibits collected from the crime scene.

A novel DNA analysis technique, developed by LFC Forensics' own research and development team, was successfully used to extract DNA from degraded samples of blood found on Yolande's headband and from polyurethane sacking found at one of the scenes. The recovery of an almost complete DNA profile from the sacking provided powerful evidence in the investigation of David Burgess. LGC Forensics' evidence was that there was only a one-in-a-billion chance that the DNA profile found on the headband Yolande was wearing, belonged to someone other than Burgess.

Steve Allen, Managing Director of LGC Forensics, said: "We always value the opportunity to contribute to investigations where, using the latest technologies, our scientists are able to thoroughly and painstakingly identify important evidence and yield results that otherwise could have been missed."

LGC Forensics has developed an unrivalled reputation for investigation of historic cases as well as for high quality analytical science across the full spectrum of forensic casework. In difficult cases, such as this one, a successful outcome owes much to LGC Forensics' unique approach to investigation strategy and in-depth search methods.

About LGC Forensics
LGC Forensics (www.lgcforensics.com) is a division of LGC and is the UK's largest, full service independent forensic science provider. It has expertise in a broad range of forensic disciplines, addressing the simplest to the most complex of cases. It provides full casework and analytical services in DNA techniques, controlled drugs, toxicology, ecology, questioned documents, digital crime, firearms and ballistics and forensic pathology in support of modern policing.

With circa 600 staff, eight forensic laboratories and centres across the UK and two in Germany, LGC Forensics is able to provide a range of bespoke services at a local level, thereby attracting a wide variety of customers drawn from police forces and other law enforcement agencies, HM Coroners, government departments, defence lawyers, as well as private corporations and individuals.

LGC Forensics has access to a wide range of other specialist teams across the LGC Group including a close working relationship with the largest group of Home Office Pathologists, Forensic Pathology Services and a unique Victim Identification and Mass Fatalities Team. LGC Forensics laboratories are located in Teddington (Middlesex), Bromsgrove (Worcestershire), Culham (Oxfordshire), St. Neots (Cambridgeshire) Runcorn and Risley (Cheshire), Tamworth (Staffordshire), with a specialist firearms facility in Leeds. German operations are located in Cologne and Berlin.

About LGC
LGC (www.lgcgroup.com) is an international science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic, biotechnology, and diagnostic services, as well as diagnostic products and reference standards. It operates in a variety of markets which underpin the safety, health and security of the public and the regulation of industry, for both public and private sector clients.

LGC operations are extensively accredited to international quality standards such as ISO/IEC 17025. With headquarters in Teddington, South West London, the LGC Group employs over 1,800 staff in 37 sites globally. Having been founded almost 170 years ago as the Laboratory of the Government Chemist - a statutory function maintained by LGC today - the company was privatised in 1996.