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| CPS criticised over DNA data disc | CPS criticised over DNA data disc |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| An inquiry has found "significant shortcomings" in the Crown Prosecution Service's handling of DNA data linked to serious crimes abroad. | |
| Dutch police sent a disc, containing 2,159 DNA profiles from crime scenes, to the CPS in January 2007, so it could be checked against the UK's database. | |
| But the checks did not start until February this year, since when 15 matches have been found. | But the checks did not start until February this year, since when 15 matches have been found. |
| Attorney General Baroness Scotland said the delay had been "regrettable". | Attorney General Baroness Scotland said the delay had been "regrettable". |
| Business post | |
| In the year before the blunder was uncovered, at least 11 of the individuals wanted for serious crimes in the Netherlands, including rape and murder, went on to commit offences in the UK, including assault and non-payment of fines. | In the year before the blunder was uncovered, at least 11 of the individuals wanted for serious crimes in the Netherlands, including rape and murder, went on to commit offences in the UK, including assault and non-payment of fines. |
| An operation involving police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency was launched to try to locate the 15 individuals found to have been in the UK. | An operation involving police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency was launched to try to locate the 15 individuals found to have been in the UK. |
| The review was carried out by CPS chief executive Peter Lewis. | The review was carried out by CPS chief executive Peter Lewis. |
| For this failure, and the delay to the process caused by it, the CPS apologises unreservedly Peter Lewis, CPS chief executive | |
| His report said the data was unexpectedly sent to the CPS, not the police, by ordinary business post and was not addressed to a particular department or individual. | |
| The correct lawyer received it in April 2007 but then began a long and unexpected period of absence, the report said. | |
| Although the lawyer returned to work in October, the disc was not collected until 11 January this year. | |
| Staff disciplined | |
| The inquiry found no evidence that the disc had been copied or ever left the building. | |
| Instead, it blamed individual failings and said they were now the subject of disciplinary action. | |
| The most serious weakness in the initiative was "the extremely regrettable failure of CPS personnel to deal appropriately and expeditiously with the disk of DNA profiles unexpectedly entrusted to the CPS", he said. | |
| "For this failure, and the delay to the process caused by it, the CPS apologises unreservedly." | |
| He said staff had faced disciplinary procedures and other management action and internal changes had already begun which should prevent the same thing happening again. |