PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "About 50 prosecutions have so far been dropped in what BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw described as “the biggest forensic science scandal in the UK for decades”
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STORY: "Randox Forensics Inquiry: Drug-drivers challenge conviction," published by Nova fm on November 22, 2017.
PHOTO CAPTION: "Most of the 10,000 cases that could be affected involved traffic offence."
GIST: "The pair, from Greater Manchester and Powys, Wales, want to launch Court of Appeal proceedings. It follows an investigation at Randox Testing Services in Manchester, where two scientists were arrested on suspicion of tampering with data. The inquiry prompted a review of more than 10,000 criminal investigations. About 50 prosecutions have so far been dropped in what BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw described as “the biggest forensic science scandal in the UK for decades”. Matthew Bravender is appealing against his conviction after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the legal limit for a prescribed drug. The 38-year-old, of Agecroft, Greater Manchester, was jailed for five years and four months at Manchester Crown Court after 52-year-old pedestrian Alan Strong was struck and killed in April 2016. Also challenging his conviction is Anderson Ward, 39, who was jailed for causing the death of his girlfriend in a crash while he was high on drugs. Marie Hardes, 56, was killed after Ward lost control of a car on the M3 in Winchester in November 2014. He was sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of causing death by driving without due care while unfit through drugs, causing death by driving a vehicle unlicensed and possession of Class B and Class C drugs. More appeals could soon follow as thousands of toxicology tests are re-analysed. Three-quarters of the cases were traffic offences such as drug-driving, with the rest including violent crime, sexual offences and unexplained deaths, dating back to 2013. Two men have been arrested and five interviewed under caution by Greater Manchester Police over the alleged manipulation by individuals working at the Randox site. Retests have so far found no impact on cases of sexual offences, violence or murder, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said. Potential data manipulation at a separate facility, Trimega Laboratories, is also being investigated."
The entire story can be found at:
http://novafm.co.uk/2017/11/22/randox-forensics-inquiry-drug-drivers-to-challenge-convictions/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/c
