Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The European Court Of Human Rights Ruling Against The Policy Of Keeping Fingerprints And Dna Samples Of Criminal Suspects In Britain, Wales And Northern Ireland: The Case Of S. And Marper V United Kingdom, Katina Michael

Associate Professor Katina Michael

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (the PACE) contained powers for the taking of fingerprints, and samples in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). In 2001, Section 64(1A) of the PACE was substituted with Section 82 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act. The change to legislation meant that a suspect of a crime would have their fingerprints and samples permanently stored on the police national computer (PNC) even after having been acquitted. This paper critically analyses the circumstances of the landmark case of S. AND MARPER V. THE UNITED KINGDOM in two …