PRINCIPAL FORENSIC SERVICES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Expert
- Questioned Documents Expert
Anthony Stockton is an internationally renowned expert in the forensic examination of questioned documents and the comparison and identification of signatures and handwriting. He graduated from Kings College London with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree and a Master of Science degree in Forensic Science. From there, he trained as a forensic documents examiner in a large team of experts at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist in London.
With over 22 years experience as an expert witness in the Home Office Forensic Science Service, he has examined thousands of documents of evidential value. Anthony utilises detailed observational skills to analyse documents in order to determine authenticity and detect forgery. He has produced results in the form of witness statements and reports used in a court of law and ensured the results and format was understood by all parties.
He has remained impartial and independent in all cases balancing the needs and requirements of both sides of a legal case and producing evidence in an unbiased manner. In his career he has worked on many high profile cases, including murders, kidnappings, rapes, counter-terrorism, serious fraud, money laundering, drugs, organised crime, witness intimidation and civil litigation.
Anthony Stockton has Home Office SC level security clearance and is criminal records bureau checked. He also runs his own independent company "Questioned Documents Service Ltd."
Dr Jonathan Whitaker is a dedicated, highly experienced, leading DNA profiling expert providing DNA profile interpretation, advice, consultancy and expert witness services to defence and prosecution criminal justice partners both in the UK and overseas.
In relation to reporting casework matters, Jonathan will use his 28 years of experience to perform an independent interpretation of DNA profiling results and, on a case by case basis, consider the following relevant questions to help address whether or not the conclusions reached are robust and reliable, fair and balanced, and stand up to expert scrutiny:
Jonathan is a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Genetics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Genetics. He has been involved in the research, development and implementation of many generations of DNA profiling tests and has extensively interpreted and reported these results as an expert witness in courts of law both in the UK and overseas. Until 2012 he was a Principal Forensic Scientist for DNA profile interpretation at the Forensic Science Service in the UK. He is a registered forensic practitioner with the Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD) as well as a member of their advisory committee for DNA assessment, a member of The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and is affiliated to the STRmix™ statistical training team in New Zealand.
Job Titles:
- Fire Investigation Expert
Iain is a nationally renowned fire investigation expert with a wealth of experience in scene and laboratory-based fire and explosion investigations.
Iain graduated from university with a Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences and a Masters degree in Forensic Science. He joined the Forensic Science Service in 1998 working in the DNA Unit and transferring to the Fire Investigation Unit in 2000 becoming a Senior Reporting Officer specialising in fire investigation and related examinations.
He has examined a wide range of fire and explosion scenes and been the lead forensic fire investigator in many high profile complex cases such as the Cutty Sark fire and the Tottenham Riots usually to determine the origin and cause of the fire. He has been involved in many laboratory based examinations including flammable liquid analysis, heat damage assessment and interpretation, appliance testing and temperature monitoring.
He has experience in dealing with international organisations including the UN and Police services regarding casework, training and presenting evidence at court.
He has designed, presented and coordinated specialised fire investigation training courses for a number of Police services since 2003 and continues to do so. He also trained and mentored new fire investigators in the Forensic Science Service. Iain was an Assessor for the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners until its demise in 2009.
Iain has carried out a number of fire investigation case reviews for various police services including R vs Philpott, Philpott and Mosley where six children died as the result of a house fire in Derbyshire and Op Shakespeare concerning the fatality of five children and their mother for Essex and Kent Police Serious Crime Directorate.
Job Titles:
- Expert in the Interpretation of Scientific Evidence
Ian is recognised internationally as one of the leading authorities on the interpretation of scientific evidence within the context of a criminal trial.
He was a member of the Forensic Science Service from 1966 until its closure and during his career he worked in many different roles and on a wide range of evidence types.
He is a qualified statistician with a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Strathclyde and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Lausanne - both doctorates awarded for his contributions to the science of evidence interpretation.
He has published over 100 papers and has been the recipient of five PW Allen Awards from the Forensic Science Society and was invested as an Honorary Life Fellow in 2007.
He was awarded the Adelaide Medal of the International Association of Forensic Sciences in 1997 and the Chairman's Award of the European Academy of Forensic Science in 2000.
Job Titles:
- Biology & Blood Pattern Analysis
Jo has been a forensic scientist for over 25 years and worked for Lothian & Borders Police laboratory (Scotland), the UK Forensic Science Service (FSS), the Metropolitan Police Service before moving into private practice. She has been involved in the forensic investigation of hundreds of major and critical incidents, predominantly as lead scientist in complex investigations and case review. She has reported all aspects of forensic biology including scene examination, bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA), luminol application, forensic strategy, body fluid analysis and DNA interpretation.
Jo collaborates with a wide range of practitioners across the CJS and gives expert scientific evidence in many high-profile forensic investigations, in courts across the UK and abroad, for the prosecution and defence. She has received commendations and letters of appreciation from North Yorkshire Police, the Metropolitan Police Service Operational Command Unit, CPS and judiciary, which demonstrates her commitment to delivering excellence.
She is Co-Director of Millington Hingley Ltd and works independently as a forensic science consultant. Her specialism is in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) which she has developed since her initial BPA training with Miami-Dade Police in the late 1990's. She delivers BPA training around the world for professionals and enthusiasts in partnership through Spattered Ltd, a company dedicated to BPA training and education.
Jo is an advocate of widening participation in forensic science, pro-STEM and pro collaboration and she regularly undertake activities that contribute to education social justice. She conducts pro-bono work as a member of the Advisory Panel of Inside Justice and she is a Trustee of the charity. She is the Forensic Advisor on BBC's Silent Witness.
Lynne is a senior scientist with over 25 years' experience in the field of forensic science, which includes over 16 years experience of high profile multi-disciplinary complex casework. Her career started at the Forensic Science Service in London where she was employed as a DNA analyst processing both PACE and crime scene samples, and subsequently as a Forensic Scientist in the Sexual Offences team. More recently she was employed at LGC Forensics Ltd (now Eurofins), Teddington as a Lead Scientist & Sexual Offences Forensic Advisor and was DNA Lead for Teddington. She joined ArroGen Forensics Ltd in 2013 delivering a wide portfolio of case review. She now works independently as Director and Consultant Forensic Scientist within her own company, Millington Hingley Ltd.
With more than 40 years of experience in forensic science, including 30 years in forensic toxicology and 10 years in forensic drugs work Mike is well-placed to provide advice on many aspects of forensic casework involving drugs and alcohol.
He has dealt with many high-profile cases during his career and appeared in courts on many hundreds of occasions.
He has co-authored several scientific papers including contributions on casework findings in ‘so-called ‘date-rape' (Drug-facilitated Sexual Assault, DFSA), drugs and driving cases and interpretation of post-mortem results.
He has many professional memberships including, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and was formerly a committee member of the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT)
From 2013 to 2017 Mike was on various Expert Panels advising the Department for Transport regarding drug/driving matters including implementation of the prescribed limit offence.
He has attended and lectured at international conferences and has delivered training to a wide range of professionals including solicitors, police officers and medical personnel to raise awareness of requirements for good forensic toxicology submissions and thereby promote ‘best practice'.
He had an attachment to the Abu Dhabi Police Forensic Science Laboratory toxicology Section to prepare them for ISO 17025 accreditation which was successfully achieved.
Mike has been involved in many high profile cases including the unmasking of a bogus defence "expert" representing motorists in alcohol technical defence cases. Far more seriously, when investigated, the so-called "expert" was found to have also been working as a medical practitioner without qualifications and had been involved in intimate examinations of young females. He was convicted at the Old Bailey of numerous offences and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Roger's professional reputation is very well known and he currently holds the position of President of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences where he is also an active qualified assessor. He is a Fellow of this Society and recently retired Fellow of the Society of Biology. He has produced a wide range of publications and contributed to Manuals of Best Practice; is an adviser to crime drama script writers; has appeared in documentaries and even appeared as part of an Arts critique panel on Sky TV!
Job Titles:
- DNA Expert
- Specialist in DNA
Sue Pope is a specialist in DNA analysis, interpretation & evaluation, & in Case Assessment & Interpretation. Sue is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. She is chair of the Forensic Science Regulator DNA Specialist Group & is an assessor for the Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD).
Sue provides independent review & expertise for prosecution & defence in the Criminal Justice System, in the UK & abroad. She delivers training for forensic scientists & students on DNA analysis & interpretation, Expert Witness in Court & applying Case Assessment & Interpretation methods. She works on international projects for developing & accrediting of laboratories & on guidance documents for organisations including the UK Forensic Science Regulator.
Sue graduated from Leeds University in 1984 with a PhD in Biochemistry, & carried out post-doctoral research on DNA & cancer, joining the Forensic Science Service in 1987 as a researcher on DNA profiling. During 25 years at FSS she became a court-going expert witness specialising in complex DNA cases, including the introduction of new DNA techniques, giving evidence on hundreds of cases in many jurisdictions. She also specialised in Interpretation & was a DNA Principal Scientist. During her time there she published many research articles & also contributed to the Royal Statistical Society Nuffield Practitioner Guide series.
Sue has been the external examiner for the BSc in Forensic Biology at Strathclyde University & the Lead Assessor for Human Contact Traces for the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners, & is a member of the Specialist DNA Working Group of the Forensic Regulator.