20 Acquisition International - February 2017 The UK based firm OGT Forensic Ltd, proud winner of Expert Witness Services of the Year 2016 – UK award, specialises in the analysis of case circumstances, the preparation of reports, assisting legal teams and the court in the interpretation of the scientific evidence, and the presentation of oral evidence. e specialise in the most complex of cases involving accusations of serious misconduct, (e.g. terrorism, murder, rape, assault, industrial explosive accidents) in criminal, civil, health and safety prosecutions and public enquiries, that are in progress within the court system in the UK and also worldwide. The fields of expertise involve aspects of forensic chemistry, (especially ultra-trace analysis and quality control), in the fields of explosives and incendiaries (including improvised devices), drugs toxicology and toxins, DNA, and gunshot residue, along with a range of other less common forensic chemical and other problems. (e.g. security dyes, CS gas and military training matters in cases of private individuals returning from war zones). This broad level of experience arises from my work at UK forensic laboratories (London Met. Police and Forensic Explosives) and also 25 years’ reserve military training resulting in a period as a special forces demolition instructor. A number of the techniques and quality control procedures currently used in forensic science were pioneered and published by myself (e.g. the trace analysis of drugs and explosives, as commented by the Judge at the Lockerbie Enquiry) during a period of research, where I was tasked to examine the entire spectrum of forensic analytical problems with the aim of developing new improved techniques of forensic analysis. My role as an expert witness My role as an expert witness requires the absolute and thorough examination and interpretation of the case circumstances, along with mastery of the ever more rapidly increasing, vast volume of international scientific research and discovery, in order to be absolutely sure, in each case, that nothing has been missed. This combination of effort has the effect of frequently overcoming the opinion of opposing experts. This principle forms the entire basis and cornerstone of the fairness of the judicial process, which allows the defence to have the opportunity to examine with every method, and to make every effort, to demonstrate the possibility that there could be an innocent explanation for the prosecution evidence. Indeed, failure by the defence to exercise due diligence in this matter has been throughout history the cause of miscarriages of justice, and which can be so legally and politically damaging. What sets the business apart from others in the field The edge that we bring to our work involves experience in the fields of expertise offered, e.g. pioneering development of the techniques used worldwide for the trace analysis of explosives, and drugs in blood (along with the associated quality control techniques), and also practical experience, such as, not only, trialling the deployment of improvised explosive devices but also training others in such applications. We also thoroughly examine all aspects, including circumstantial evidence, in all cases, (a process described by one private defendant (acquitted) as ‘relentless’) and this aspect of our work is often the game changer. We also bring to the attention of the barrister any evidence that we find, not only in our areas of expertise but also in other areas of forensic science, for other experts to consider. An example of this was a case of death by dangerous driving, and where patient questioning of the defendant in prison (much against the Courts opinion) revealed that the true cause of the incident was likely to have been due to the extremely poor state of maintenance and design of the company vehicle, and also revealed that the majority of the alcohol and drugs had been likely to have been consumed post incident. Advances in science have allowed us to avoid almost entirely opinions based upon subjective considerations, and all evidence is now supported by the latest research up to the time of the presentation of the evidence by the prosecution during the trial. Time and again this allows us to prevail even in cases where we are opposed by the most eminent and experienced experts fielded by the prosecution. Company: OGT Forensic Ltd Name: Dr John Douse Email:
[email protected] Web: forensic-expert.org Address: PO Box 711, Taunton, TA4 4ZN UK Phone: UK 0800 587 2283, Mobile: 07766 286 001 On the Case W 1702AI68 “We continue to offer our services to those who might require them. The continuous progress of scientific discovery worldwide renders the process ever more efficient and indeed fascinating .” PAN AM 103 LOCKERBIE INCIDENT Techniques that I developed over a 17 year period were used, by me, to identify the likely explosive implicated in this event. SOURCE: AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BRANCH REPORT “MDMB CHMICA” A synthetic cannabinoid legal high thought to have been the most potent version ever synthesised, (having an estimated effective dosage of tens of micrograms), and implicated in a murder case in 2016. PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA PUBLIC DOMAIN