Forensic Scientist's statement from the DVD
Regarding the hair tested by the FSS laboratory Birmingham....
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Witness deposition: Andrew Lloyd Palmer; Age: Older than 18 years
Profession: Forensic scientist
Address: FSS
References: FSS: 300655190, 400972691; Client: Operation TASK
CJS/URN: 07/06085
I declare that:
This deposition (comprising five pages signed by me) is the truth, to the best of my knowledge, and that I give it knowing that, if it should be presented as evidence, I would be subject to legal penalty should I have declared anything that I know to be false or that I think is not true;
I declare also that,
I am expert in the field of forensic sciences and that I was asked to give a deposition. I confirm that I have read the guidelines contained in the document Disclosure: Expert's evidence and unused material, that specifies my functions and documents my responsibilities, with respect to disclosure as an expert witness.
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Signed 9 November 2007
Qualifications and experience
I am a qualified Chartered Biologist [Footnote 6 states: The highest professional level achievable] and a member of the Biological Institute. I have 25 years experience as a forensic scientist. During this period I have examined hundreds of objects in the detection of blood, semen, saliva, fibres, hair, down and other trace material derived from [human] contact. I have been present at many crime scenes, having given technical opinions in various cases involving the detection of blood and the interpretation of samples of blood spots/specks. I have drafted reports and have given depositions in numerous cases of homicide, sexual violence and other cases involving the transfer of body fluids and the interpretation of the results of DNA profiles. I am a forensic ?doctor/practitioner?, registered with the Order [presumably of Forensic Medecine], specialising in DNA analysis, body fluids, capillary distribution [system of blood flow around the human body], down, hair and fibres.
Laboratory reference
The lab reference of this case is 300655190
Objects received
According to the lab records of 7 August and 6 September 2007 the objects referred to in this report entered the FSS laboratory in Birmingham, having been remitted by the Police Science Laboratory of Portugal and by the Leicestershire (UK) Police, respectively.
Objective
The objective of my examination was to determine if down or hair was recovered from the Renault Scenic 59-DA-27 and, if affirmative, to determine if those may have come from Madeleine McCann.
Mobilisation of scientific support people
The examination of the objects in this case was done with the assistance of scientific support people. A list of those people, together with a brief description of the work that each performed, is in the Forensic Examination Record/Register, which I present as exhibit ALP/1. It is a complete record of all work done, together with notes made during the examination. These notes are available in the lab for verification, if necessary.
Examination and results
Reference objects
I received [obtained] information from the pillow-case SJM/1, the tops SJM2, 4 and 5, and the hairbrush SJM/36 belonging to Madeleine McCann or used by her. The hair found on these objects was used in substitution of [in place of] reference samples of her hair, [which were] not considered to be authentic samples of her hair.
No hair was recovered from the pillow-case SJM/1 nor the hairbrush SJM/36.
A total number of twelve [12] hairs or hair fragments were recovered from the tops SJM/2, SJM/4 and SJM/5. All of these appeared to be hair and not down, being mainly blonde in colour. One of the hairs was brown and distinctly darker than the other hairs, suggesting, at the least, that this was a hair from someone else.
The remaining eleven hairs/fragments varied in length from 4 millimetres to 45 millimetres [~1/8" to ~1,3/4"]. I could not conclude that all hairs were from the same person. If they had been from Madeleine McCann, then they are not representative/typical/characteristic of a sample of her hair, given the length of that seen in photographs of her.
Objects from the Renault Scenic - licence plate 59-DA-27
The following objects recovered from the scenic were subjected to examination:
1A, 1B, 1C, 1D,
2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E,
3,
4A, 4B, 4C,
5A, 5B, 5C,
6A, 6B, 6C,
7A, 7B, 7C,
8A, 8B, 8C,
9 and
11 (2 objects).
There were more than two hundred hairs, down or fragments of hair and down. The majority appeared to be different from the blonde reference hairs recovered from SJM2, 4 and 5. Furthermore, no blonde hair consistent with that seen in photographs of Madeleine McCann was found.
Approximately 15 hairs, down or fragments were blonde and fair, presenting a similarity with the reference material. All were of insufficient length to make a solid [definitive] comparison. Furthermore, they are too short to do mitocondrial DNA tests. Folicle root material is insufficient for standard DNA tests.
Four hairs - one from 7B and three from 7C - were sent for Low Copy Number DNA testing. The results of those tests will be presented by my colleague John Lowe.
Conclusion
In the objects recovered from the Scenic, there were around 15 blonde/fair hairs similar to the reference hairs from SJM2, 4 and 5. However, as it was not possible to do solid [definitive] or significant [forensically meaningful] tests it is not possible for me to determine if, or not, these could have been from Madeleine McCann.
The conclusions expressed in the present deposition are based on information available at the date of the examination. In the case that there are changes to that information, or additional information becomes available, it may be necessary to reconsider my interpretation and conclusions. That re-evaluation will be most effective when done immediately prior to any judgement.
A.L. Palmer
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None of the hair tested could be identified as Madeleine's.
And I wonder who started the "rumour," and why? that the FSS in Birmingham were not equipped to test hair.
