Scientific Forensic Services we can provide

Alcohol, including hip flask and laced drink calculations Alcohol Technical Defence plus statutory defence to Drunk in Charge Breath testing devices including Failing To Provide Emmerson Associates is well-known for its expertise in cases involving alcohol consumption where the charges may be Driving With Excess Alcohol and being Drunk In Charge of a Motor Vehicle. In these cases we undertake relevant blood/breath/urine alcohol calculations, including ‘back’ calculations. Common casework enquiries include: Consideration of the substantive breath testing procedure; Blood and urine collection procedures; Functioning of the three main substantive breath testing devices (Intoxilyzer 6000UK, Intoximeter EC/IR and Camic Datamaster) including the minimum breath requirements, etc., as set down in the Home Office Type Approval documentation; The effects of storage on samples; How samples should have been handled/analysed by the relevant laboratory; Interpretation of breath test printouts; Interpretation of results of blood/urine alcohol analyses. We can also arrange for analysis of the defendant’s portion of a blood/urine sample and interpret the difference between the Crown’s result and the defendant’s analytical result, if required. We also undertake breath/blood/urine alcohol calculations in relation to more serious charges such as rape, murder, death by dangerous driving, etc. We regularly provide reports in cases of Failing to Provide relevant specimens (whether breath, blood or urine) which would include review of all relevant documentation including: results of spirometry (lung function) tests; breath requirements of hand-held roadside breath screening devices; breath requirements of police station evidential breath testing devices.

• Blood and other body fluids

Blood Pattern Analysis Examination of the patterns and shapes of bloodstains can allow an expert to provide an opinion regarding how the bloodstains were deposited on a surface, e.g. through spray or direct contact, smearing, etc. Combining DNA analysis (profiling) and the results of blood pattern analysis can be a powerful tool in determining events and individuals involved in a given incident, thus potentially providing a reconstruction. Common casework enquiries include: Examination or re-examination of scenes and providing an interpretation of results from the Crown or new information; Examination of items previously not examined and interpretation of the findings; Re-examination of items previously examined by the Crown and comment on the findings of the Crown’s expert; Consideration of scientific findings in light of an individual’s account of events.

Body Fluids Our experts can review physical evidence and the subsequent interpretation of all body fluid evidence, including saliva, seminal fluid or ‘touch’ DNA. We often undertake additional examinations and consider the entire procedure undertaken to-date. Where appropriate, we make recommendations for further work.

• DNA/STR

Emmerson Associates regularly undertakes work to review scientific findings relating to DNA. This includes the latest techniques, SGM+ as well as SGM and LCN. Complex mixtures interpretation is a speciality. Where appropriate, we can recommend further examination utilising DNA analyses of different types. Regular solicitors’ instructions require us to visit forensic laboratories or receive items for examination, remove sections of items and arrange for DNA profiling. We can also provide DNA sampling kits for collection of reference samples of DNA from relevant individuals. Common casework includes: Attending laboratories and reviewing the results reported by another expert; Supplying DNA kits for collection of samples, arranging for analysis of the sample for the DNA profile; Interpretation of DNA results in relation to a given account of an event.

• Documents, alterations and erasures
• Drugs, including production, packaging, cannabis cultivation and drugs on banknotes

Drugs and packaging (clingfilm, poly bags, etc.) Cases involving drugs generally relate to seizure of bulk quantities of drugs. We regularly comment on: amounts for personal use; tablet manufacture; results of chemical profiling of heroin; cannabis cultivation, including hydroponic set-ups and yield calculations. We also provide expertise in the examination of packaging (e.g. clingfilm, poly bags) and review work undertaken by the Crown. Items such as clingfilm and poly bags can contain features and marks that are not visible to the naked eye. These marks and features can be examined on items used to wrap drugs and compared to, for example, a roll of bags or a roll of clingfilm recovered in relation to a case. We cannot, unfortunately, provide comment on the monetary (‘street’) value of drugs.

• Drug traces on items

We have many years’ experience of reviewing work where drug traces have been detected on items including banknotes, mobile telephones, vehicles, clothing and other miscellaneous items. There is considerable room for comment on the routes by which drug traces came to be present on items and whether or not a given set of circumstances could have resulted in the analytical results reported by the Crown. Common casework enquiries include: the method of analysis and general comment on the background databases; the implications of accidental contamination of items prior to receipt at the laboratory; consideration of a defendant’s account of events when interpreting the analytical results. Many cases include Customs & Excise seizures as well as seizures under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

• Facial mapping
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• Fibres and hairs

Fibres are often used for associating items and, thereby, locations. Examination includes colour, structure and dye composition. As well as re-examination of fibres and reported findings, our expert has particular knowledge of dyes and dye compositions. As with other casework types, we are able to attend forensic laboratories, examine/re‑examine items, provide comment on findings previously reported and re-interpret findings in light of a new or revised account of events.

• Fingerprints
• Firearms
• Fires and explosions
• Footwear impressions

Footwear, instrument and tool marks Footwear and footwear marks/impressions arise in a wide variety of cases including burglary, assault and murder. Marks and impressions are compared to items of footwear in order to establish whether the footwear could have caused the marks/impressions. If so, what is the likelihood that a particular footwear item did, indeed, cause the marks/impressions? Similarly, contact areas of instruments and tools cans be compared with marks/impressions at a crime scene in order to provide an indication of whether or not the instrument/tool could have caused the mark/impression. If so, how likely is it? Examinations of this type can, of course, also be used to exclude items as having caused marks or impressions. We also provide expertise in the examination of packaging (e.g. clingfilm, poly bags) and review work undertaken by the Crown. Items such as clingfilm and poly bags can contain features and marks that are not visible to the naked eye. These marks and features can be examined on items used to wrap, for example, drugs, and compared to, for example, a roll of bags or a roll of clingfilm recovered in relation to a case. As with many other evidence types, we attend laboratories and review Prosecution work and casefiles. We may also undertake further work at our offices. Regular casework enquiries include: whether footwear attributed to an individual could have caused marks/impressions made at a scene; interpretation of the Crown’s results, which may be expressed as, for example, providing moderate support for a given proposition; comment on the frequency of occurrence of a given shoe sole pattern based on data held at the original examining laboratory; whether marks on an individual’s body could have been caused by a given shoe(s).

• Glass

Many hundreds or thousands of fragments of glass may be liberated when windows and other glass items are broken. Cases where glass fragments are examined are wide‑ranging, from breaking car windows to murder. We attend laboratories to review work already completed by the Crown. We can also consider a defendant’s account of how glass came to be present on items. Common casework enquiries include: whether another source of glass could have resulted in the scientific findings; whether the findings reported by the Crown are accurate; whether the database against which results are compared is appropriate; what the results reported by the Crown actually mean. We also have access to certain analytical equipment to allow further work to be undertaken.

• Instrument marks
• Paint

Scientific findings relating to paint generally fall under the category of ‘trace evidence’. Paint can, depending on the circumstances, be transferred onto items as smears, chips or fragments. When examining paint, it is important to consider the chemical make-up of the paint and, where appropriate, the sequence of layering (wood such as in window frames is often painted multiple times over its lifetime). By attending laboratories, re-examining items and examining case files we review work already completed by other experts and provide comment on the findings. We can also interpret the findings in light of an account of events not previously considered.

          Toxicology

Toxicology and Drug drive cases Toxicology deals with the analysis of body fluids for the presence of compounds such as poisons and drugs. In complex cases a toxicologist will consider the compounds detected in a sample and may provide an interpretation of their presence. Cases where toxicology is significant include date-rape and murder. In the former, whether the Complainant had been ‘spiked’ with a drug may be considered. In relation to murder, the possible combined effects of drugs, including alcohol, is often the issue. Consideration of this kind of information requires an experienced toxicologist. Casework enquiries include: consideration of the results reported by the Crown and whether their interpretation is correct; whether any other drugs could have produced the same analytical results; whether a defendant’s history of drug/alcohol abuse could have an effect. In relation to drug drive cases, we provide comment on; results of blood/urine analyses; preliminary impairment tests; results reported by the medical examiner; defendant’s indicated pattern of drug use in the previous 24 hours.

• Vehicle accidents and reconstruction; Tachographs, fraudulent insurance claims

Collision analysis & investigations: Physical evidence, witness evidence, vehicles involved, road topography, weather conditions, vehicle dynamics, driver reaction times and driver behaviour. Collision reconstruction: Tyre, grind & slide marks, pedestrian throw distance, speed and movement of pedestrians, coefficient of friction, driver reaction times, mass of vehicles, vehicle performance, vehicle test data and position of vehicles at impact can all be modelled mathematically in combination with the laws of motion in order to determine vehicle speeds and a reconstruction of events. Vehicle examination: The accident vehicles and their component parts can be examined for any defects or failures. This can assist in discovering why a particular accident occurred. Any type and size of vehicle can be examined including LGV's, cars, motorcycles, heavy plant machinery and pedal cycles. Forensic tyre examinations: Our experts are trained to an advanced level in all aspects concerning the construction of tyres & the analysis of tyre failures and tyre / wheel damage. Surveying & scale plans: We can utilise the latest electronic total station surveying equipment producing professional computer generated scale plans of accident scenes and crime scenes. Scale representations of vehicles can be shown in relation to physical and witness evidence in order to show the position of vehicles at impact and ultimately a visual reconstruction of the accident. Photographs & video: Standard and digital technology is utilised to illustrate road markings, geometry, topography, signing, lines of sight, limits of visibility, positions of witnesses, pre & post impact movement of vehicles / pedestrians, vehicle damage & defects. Forensic tachograph analysis: Microscopic analysis, route traces, driver's hours & regulations. Our expert in this field comes from a very experienced background including air accident investigation, driving 38T Large goods vehicles, operating his own haulage company and Tachograph Analysis Bureau. In that time Mr Coltman, on average, analysed over 1000 Tachograph charts per week, which equates to a career total in excess of ¾ million charts. In addition, Mr Coltman wrote his own computer software for chart analysis and report production writing an 'industry standard' book on the interpretation and application of the EC hour's regulations. Mr Coltman continues to act as an advisor on interpretation and application of ERC hour's regulations to one of the main analysis bureaux in the UK. Mr Coltman has been accepted as an expert witness during Court proceedings in all levels of Court. Mr Coltman now operates as a Consultant in all aspects of Tachograph construction, function, calibration, installation and testing of Tachograph recording equipment, chart analysis and route tracing to forensic level using a calibrated microscope. Speed of vehicle movement, taken second by second from speed trace, is logged and translated into distance and acceleration (+/-) rates using standard velocity formula. These figures can then be applied logically to each situation with an aim of adducing what did happen, what did not happen and what could have happened. Forensic stolen vehicle examinations: Testing by examination of the prosecution evidence. Deleting / retrieving VIN and engine numbers. Dating of components, dating of vehicle glass, consideration of evidence. In cases alleging vehicle ringing and handling (including conspiracy), the prosecution evidence normally centres on the examination and conclusions drawn by the Police vehicle examiner or Stolen Vehicle Squad Officer. We are able to fully test those findings and conclusions, offering where possible alternative explanations. All examinations are undertaken by a Forensic stolen vehicle examiner with 20 years experience in this specialist field. Speed detection devices: Trained in all aspects concerning Police speed detection devices including Vascar, Muniquip radar, Police Pilot & Laser LTI 20-20. Our experts can test the accuracy of the speed checks, procedures and circumstances under which they were conducted. Fraudulent insurance claims & investigations: Vehicle damage & fraudulent claims   Latest reports suggest that insurers uncovered a record £840m worth of fraudulent claims in 2009.  Motor insurance fraud accounted for nearly half of the total, with fraudulent claims worth £410m uncovered during the year. The industry also uncovered 8,500 misleading liability claims, with many involving bogus personal injuries which would have cost insurers an average of £25,000.   We have Experts who specialise in the investigation of fraudulent insurance claims regarding road accidents.