Forensic Science in Northern Ireland
| Author | W. H. D. Morgan |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5903200109 |
| Published date | 01 January 1959 |
| Date | 01 January 1959 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
W.
H.
D.
MORGAN,
B.Sc.,
Ph.D.,
A.R.LC.
Member
of
Staff, Department
of
Industrial and Forensic Science.
Belfast
Forensic
Science
in
Northern
Ireland
IN ANY investigation undertaken by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
prior to 1956, material which required scientific examination for
ultimate presentation in court as evidence had to be sent to the
North-Western Forensic Science Laboratory in Preston. In 1956
the Government of Northern Ireland set up a laboratory in Belfast
where such examinations could be undertaken locally, thereby
eliminating the necessity of sending the material to England, often
under escort, and also the time-consuming court attendances re-
quired of the Laboratory staff who had to travel to Northern
Ireland
to
give the evidence.
During the period April 1956 to December 1957 a total of 726
cases was referred to the Laboratory, approximately three times the
number which had been expected. During this period it has been
repeatedly shown that for the facilities of the Laboratory to be used
in the most effective way it is essential for the police and the
Laboratory staff to co-operate as closely as possible.
The following is an outline of three interesting cases dealt with
over the past two years. There is nothing particularly new in the
scientific examinations or the techniques which have been used but
they illustrate how effective such co-operation can be from the
practical aspect.
Case
No.1:
Larceny of Lead and causing malicious damage
The circumstances in this case were that two men were seen
climbing over the wall of an unoccupied house and the police were
informed by a 999 call. A police car arrived within a few minutes
and the suspects were located in a nearby street. They had two
lengths of lead piping in their possession and when questioned they
said that they had found the lead in a dust-bin. Further investiga-
tion showed that approximately the same length of lead was miss-
ing from the toilet of the vacant house. The broken ends of the pipe
remaining on the wall were removed and brought to the Laboratory
together with the lead found in possession.
46 The Police Journal
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