AI Magazine Issue 2 2017

Acquisition International - February 2017 21 On the Case This situation occurs both in our fields of expertise, and indirectly also in areas outside of our expertise; and where our diligent research and investigation (e.g. interviewing with empathy severely traumatised individuals in prison) allows us to uncover the true events that may have occurred in a case. In particular, also, our sheer length of experience and involvement in a range of (often High Profile) trials (e.g. involving explosives, ricin, insulin, polonium) has honed our skills so as to be able to provide very rapid and effective assistance to the Courts even in the most complex trials, and sometimes in several specialities simultaneously. Such a case occurred in 2016 where vast amounts of evidence had to be processed (due to the failure of another expert) in a very short time (e.g. 250,000 pages of explosives downloads and hundreds of exhibits, along with a cannabis growing operation), in a period of ten days (charge of terrorist offences removed and minor suspended sentencing achieved)). The unique nature of the general training as a forensic scientist, (where for example one must routinely consider the best ways to administer toxins such as ricin, nerve agents and polonium (a situation very much ‘outside of the box’ for the normal clinician!)) has the effect of allowing insight into the causes and sequential events that are likely to have occurred during incidents in complex cases covered by e.g. public enquiries, and where other more specialist experts may lack the broad, general, unorthodox, scientific vision required in order to be able to reliably elucidate cause. Expert opinions – contribution to case outcomes Where a case outcome depends upon the nature and interpretation of the scientific evidence, our evidence frequently is the deciding and decisive factor in the result of a case. Prominent examples of such effects in 2016 involved a major international defence company where an HSE criminal prosecution was in progress, and where we were able (from our practical experience of explosives and also theoretical knowledge) to demonstrate that all five major complaints had no basis in scientific theory. This saved the firm an estimated 5 million UK Pounds in fines, along with other potential adverse sequelae. This outcome resulted in the instructing legal firm and also the defendant expressing the view that they were ‘delighted’ with my performance. Similarly, an accusation of murder (euthanasia) was overcome by diligent examination of the entire casefile which revealed the true cause as having been likely to have been the necessary prescription of the powerful drug fentanyl that had escaped the prosecution investigation. The future of the business 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. Spontaneous stress induced her- maphroditism of a female cannabis plant, implicated in the limitation of the yield of a cannabis growing operation in a case in 2016. PHOTO: ALCHIMIAWEB.COM Combusting “Magic Flash Paper”. My research had demonstrated the hazards of this highly combustible material, resulting in an HSE inves- tigation in 2012. This was relevant to a case where a fatality occurred in 2016 during a warehouse fire owned by a UK firm selling magic paraphernalia. “Flash X-Ray image of a shaped charge (a directed energy, high ex- plosive, weapon used for destroying targets) penetrating as steel plate.” SOURCE: History warweapons.com Main Image: Castor beans containing ricin. A simple extraction of the stored fat yields a highly toxic preparation that was implicated in an attempted murder case in Southern Ireland in 2008, and which involved a “hit man” from Las Vegas, with importation of the extract concealed in a contact lens case. SOURCE: HEDI BOUGANMI (2014)