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Stephen Lawrence probe 'lacked written forensic system' Stephen Lawrence probe forensic system 'questioned'
(about 2 hours later)
The trial of two men accused of killing Stephen Lawrence has been told there was no written procedure for handling forensic evidence in the case.The trial of two men accused of killing Stephen Lawrence has been told there was no written procedure for handling forensic evidence in the case.
Exhibits officer Robert Crane told the Old Bailey there was no process to ensure evidence was not contaminated. In defence questioning, an exhibits officer said he was unaware of measures to stop clothes becoming contaminated.
Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, both from south London, deny murder.Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, both from south London, deny murder.
The prosecution says DNA evidence links the men to a group of white youths that attacked the black teenager in Eltham, south London, in 1993. Prosecutors at the Old Bailey say DNA evidence links them to a group of white youths that attacked the black teenager in Eltham, south London, in April 1993.
The 18-year-old A-Level student was forced to the ground at a bus stop and then stabbed twice, the prosecution says.The 18-year-old A-Level student was forced to the ground at a bus stop and then stabbed twice, the prosecution says.
Mr Crane, a detective constable who was an exhibits officer at Eltham police station in 1993, told the court that items of clothing were placed in brown paper bags, but not always sealed. BBC home affairs correspondent Matt Prodger said the reliability of scientific evidence was at the heart of the trial.
He said there was no written procedure for ensuring that evidence was not contaminated. The prosecution has said textile fibres, and blood and hair matching Mr Lawrence was on clothing seized from the defendants in 1993 and discovered as part of a cold case review in 2007.
And those handling the clothes wore gloves, but not the white forensic suits used today. But in opening statements, lawyers for Mr Dobson and Mr Norris contended that there had been contamination of evidence by the police.
Robert Crane, a detective constable who was an exhibits officer at Eltham police station in 1993, told the court that items of clothing were placed in brown paper bags, but not always sealed.
He told the court that at the time he "had a degree of forensic awareness" and understood the potential for cross-contamination.
But he said there was no written procedure for ensuring that evidence was not contaminated and those handling the clothes wore gloves, but not the white forensic suits used today.

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Jury shown police surveillance photos of Gary Dobson and David Norris in days after Lawrence murder”Jury shown police surveillance photos of Gary Dobson and David Norris in days after Lawrence murder”
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Mr Crane told the court that at the time he "had a degree of forensic awareness" and understood the potential for cross-contamination.
The jury heard that exhibits were stored in a disused cell in the building, and there were no designated forensic retrieval or packaging areas.The jury heard that exhibits were stored in a disused cell in the building, and there were no designated forensic retrieval or packaging areas.
In cross-examination by Timothy Roberts QC, who represents Mr Dobson, the court heard that exhibit bags could be left open while officers were waiting for a photographer. In cross-examination by Timothy Roberts QC, who represents Mr Dobson, the court was told that exhibit bags could be left open while officers were waiting for a photographer.
Mr Crane said he was not aware of any special procedures to prevent fibres or fragments being passed on to an exhibit by a police officer when they opened and resealed packages.Mr Crane said he was not aware of any special procedures to prevent fibres or fragments being passed on to an exhibit by a police officer when they opened and resealed packages.
Meanwhile, Det Con Steven Pye, who collected the teenager's personal belongings from the hospital after he died, told the court that the items were in plastic hospital sacks and he bagged them up in police paper sacks using rubber gloves.Meanwhile, Det Con Steven Pye, who collected the teenager's personal belongings from the hospital after he died, told the court that the items were in plastic hospital sacks and he bagged them up in police paper sacks using rubber gloves.
And the court heard that some of the paper bags were not sealed at the hospital because blood stains on the items were still wet. The court heard that some of the paper bags were not sealed at the hospital because blood stains on the items were still wet.
BBC home affairs correspondent Matt Prodger said the reliability of scientific evidence was at the heart of the trial. Mr Pye said the bags of bloodstained clothes were not immediately sealed because if the paper sacks became wet they might collapse. He passed them on to a colleague to be dried.
The prosecution has said textile fibres, and blood and hair matching Mr Lawrence was on clothing seized from the defendants in 1993 and discovered as part of a cold case review in 2007. Mr Roberts, in cross examination, asked: "Is the upshot of all of this, however it happened, that the clothing from Stephen Lawrence that was most heavily blood stained, and therefore might contaminate other things, remained in unsealed packages whilst you dealt with it?
In response, Mr Pye said: "The most heavily bloodstained would appear to have been placed in paper sacks and folded over, yes."
'Nervous' when questioned'Nervous' when questioned
But in opening statements, lawyers for Mr Dobson and Mr Norris contended that there had been contamination of evidence by the police. The court heard that Mr Pye had a stack of paper bags with him at the hospital that could have picked up fibres or blood flakes on the outside.
Earlier, an officer who questioned Mr Dobson while on house-to-house inquiries said the defendant had seemed nervous. "By touching all of the packages with the same pair of gloves and folding over the tops of all the brown paper bags you could have distributed blood and fibres from each of these items on to the outside of the packages," said Mr Roberts.
Following the teenager's death, Graham Cooke conducted house-to-house inquiries during which Mr Dobson was questioned at his parents' home and asked whether he had been at the scene of the murder that night. "The items were placed in bags with the same pair of gloves. My recollection is that the bags were sealed at some point in the night but I can't remember when," replied Mr Pye.
The retired police officer told the court: "Dobson said no, he was at home all night studying. He arrived home from college at 5.30pm, that his mother and father were indoors at the time. Earlier, Graham Cooke an officer who questioned Mr Dobson while on house-to-house inquiries said the defendant had seemed nervous.
"He said that he did not know the victim, he had heard about the incident from the papers." The retired police officer told the court that the defendant said he was at home all night studying on the night the teenager was killed, adding that he did not know the victim.
"In my opinion he was nervous at the time," said Mr Cooke."In my opinion he was nervous at the time," said Mr Cooke.
The jury was also shown police surveillance photographs of the defendants outside a house in Bournbrook Road in Eltham.The jury was also shown police surveillance photographs of the defendants outside a house in Bournbrook Road in Eltham.
The trial continues.The trial continues.