Police handling of DNA evidence to be scrutinised in Queensland inquiry into forensic lab

Queensland police will come beneath the scrutiny of a royal fee into issues in regards to the state forensic lab which have led to a number of sexual assault circumstances being reopened.

The formal fee of inquiry will examine issues the lab failed to check essential DNA proof in circumstances stretching again to 2018.

Police have already began reviewing proof in about 50 sexual assault circumstances.

Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, mentioned the inquiry will have a look at police practices involving DNA proof as effectively.

“Severe points have been raised,” Palaszczuk mentioned in a press release on Friday.

“The individuals of this state should have confidence within the reliability of outcomes from the lab.”

The inquiry will decide if DNA assortment, testing and evaluation has been dependable, in keeping with finest observe and whether or not it resulted in correct reporting of outcomes.

If and when it's discovered that hasn’t occurred, the inquiry will report the explanations.

Walter Sofronoff, a former courtroom of attraction president, has been appointed to guide the inquiry.

“He'll go away no stone unturned,” Palaszczuk mentioned.

Potential points with the lab first got here to gentle on account of the Australian’s podcast collection in regards to the investigation into the demise of Shandee Blackburn.

The 23-year-old was stabbed greater than 20 occasions on her approach house from work in Mackay in February 2013.

The coronial inquiry was reopened in February to contemplate “current points raised relating to the forensic proof and testing of proof on this case”.

A report within the Australian final week mentioned nearly 600 crime scene samples weren't examined by the lab in 2021 attributable to being judged to have “inadequate DNA for additional processing”. Police requested for 47 of those samples to be examined anyway, and 31 returned usable DNA profiles, the newspaper reported.

• Signal as much as obtain an electronic mail with the highest tales from Guardian Australia each morning

Signal as much as obtain the highest tales from Guardian Australia each morning

Queensland’s opposition chief, David Crisafulli, welcomed the fee of inquiry on Monday.

“This can be a win for victims, it’s a win for the police, it’s a win for the whistleblowers,” Crisafulli mentioned.

“It’s a win for each Queenslander who deserves a justice system that may present them a stage of service. And that’s what we now have in the present day.”

Sofronoff is because of hand down his remaining report on 13 December, and has been given the facility to launch an interim report at his discretion.