Independent Forensic Services - Forensic DNA & other Expert Witness Services

🔎 DNA Evidence Isn’t Always the Final Word Across Australian and internationally, convictions often rest on DNA. But a “match” does not equal guilt. 👉 Reports rarely disclose: 1. Limitations to biological testing 2. Number of sperm identified in sexual offence matters and whether timing is consistent with the biological evidence 3. If transfer (laundry, contact, even sampling) explains its presence 4. Limitations to the statistical values, if low likelihood ratios are obtained ⚖️ I’ve spent over a decade reviewing cases where DNA evidence was oversimplified for juries. Independent review can expose limitations—and sometimes change the outcome entirely. ⚖️ Defence lawyers: don’t accept DNA at face value. Ensure it’s independently reviewed. Your clients deserves more than a basic lab report. https://lnkd.in/gJNxik4H

Dadley v R highlights what can go wrong if lawyers do not know the limitations to the evidence that is being presented in their trial and the flow on affects that unreliable evidence can have. https://lnkd.in/gwp6B9B3

How clean is your laundry? Did you know that not only DNA, but spermatozoa can be transferred in the washing machine. https://lnkd.in/gab8-rCp

Our latest newletter on bias in forensic science worked out to be well timed. After attending the EAFS conference in Dublin - there was much more to learn on this topic. More on this to follow soon..... https://lnkd.in/guHz2WrW

In case you missed it, here is our latest newsletter. This month we are focussing on the high profile Bryan Kohberger matter. It is important to recognise that challenges with DNA analysis are not confined to one country. However, in this case, I would be focussing more on the item of interest being a movable object and that it is not currently possible to evaluate when the DNA was deposited. Whereas, the legal team in the U.S. seems to be focussed on the evidence being planted. https://lnkd.in/gDexaFuy

Our latest newsletter which focus on an indirect DNA transfer of DNA to the fingernails of a complainant, which appears to have originated from a blanket in a police station. There was a DNA match to an individual on the DNA database. However, thankfully to the investigative process this potential transfer event was identified. Other individuals may not be so lucky - remember the wrongful conviction of Farah Jama? https://lnkd.in/gHsKKp92

At Independent Forensic Services, we're not just about numbers; we are about an unbiased, reliable evaluation of the forensic biology/DNA evidence in your matter. With over 20 years of experience, our DNA expert evidence and forensic analysis services are here to address the limitations in the evidence and ensure it can be appropriately evaluated or challenged where need be. Whether you're a legal professional or part of the criminal justice community, our unbiased and comprehensive analysis and reports are tailored to case. Contact us today and let’s make sure the evidence in your matter is robust and reliable for use.

In our first newsletter for 2025, we have crafted a concise resource for lawyers, detailing the essential information they should obtain from the limited DNA reports provided. This will help ensure that the forensic DNA evidence is presented in a balanced way and the limitations to the evidence are disclosed. https://lnkd.in/gRrzZAFm

November was a pretty tough month for law enforcement in Australia with a police officer pleading guilty to falsifying forensic evidence and a police officer being found guilty of manslaughter. Our newsletter this month looks at the falsification of forensic evidence matter. This was only detected because the instructing lawyer did not accept the report on face value - and asked questions of the laboratory. While we hope this is a rare occurance, it highlights for the need for scrutiny of the evidence you are presented. https://lnkd.in/gcJxbipG

One of the key recommendations from the Vincent report, released way back in 2010, was that DNA evidence should not be used in isolation. It should be considered with all other evidence types in the case. Yet, IFS is seeing more and more matters proceed on the basis of DNA evidence alone. This issue is discussed in more detail, with links to the original report, in a latest newsletter. https://lnkd.in/gVtrm2MY