CSI: CARDIFF; Solving South Wales' most brutal crimes.Byline: Steffan Rhys THEY are the real life forensic experts who helped solve some of South Wales' most notorious crimes. Immortalised in high-profile television programmes like CSI CSI Crime Scene Investigator CSI CompuServe, Inc. CSI Commodity Systems, Inc. CSI Commodity Systems Inc. (Boca Raton, FL) CSI Crime Scene Investigation (CBS TV show) CSI Christian Schools International and Waking The Dead, the forensic scientists use the latest DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. and cutting-edge technology to provide the breakthrough needed by police or the evidence to help convince a jury. The work done by specialists like Colin Dark and John Bassett has helped solve brutal crimes, among them the murder of Shirley Oliver in Canton. Rumney brothers Christopher and Stewart Jones were jailed for her murder in December 2005. "She had been stamped on and the mark on her body matched the footwear of one of the men arrested," said Mr Bassett. "Footwear was a key aspect to that case." The scientists were also integral to solving the murder of Derek Bennett - who was found in the boot of a burning car in Whitchurch in 2004, having been beaten to death by Phillip Heggarty - and that of Beverley Parkhouse in Ogmore Vale. It was initially believed Mrs Parkhouse died in a firewhile asleep in bed but Royston Moore was jailed for her killing earlier this year. "Wedid a lot of work on that case," said Mr Bassett. "On the face of it, it looked a tragic accident. "The big breakthrough was when her blood was analysed. They didn't find a high carbon monoxide carbon monoxide, chemical compound, CO, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, extremely poisonous gas that is less dense than air under ordinary conditions. It is very slightly soluble in water and burns in air with a characteristic blue flame, producing carbon dioxide; level which proved she was dead when the fire started." And yesterday, when the Echo visited the Forensic Science Service This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. lab near Chepstow, the South Wales forensic scientist who helped find the murderer of 17-year-old Hannah Foster told of his work on the case. On Tuesday, Maninder Pal Singh Kohli was jailed foraminimum of 24 years for her rape and murder. "It was quite a long case as well - five and ahalf years. I've worked on it fromthe start," said Steve Harrington, 36, from Merthyr Tydfil. "We didn't know who the suspect was so what we tried to do was identify the material that may identify the offender. "It would be samples from Hannah Foster herself, clothing, samples from his children because he had left the children. "We examined his van, there was blood matching Hannah Foster in the van." But Mr Harrington said he couldn't let the work affect him. He said: "It's part of your job. You just get on with it. You don't get involved. I can switch off quite easily. It sounds quite callous, but if you couldn't, you wouldn't work here long." steffan.rhys@mediawales.co.uk CAPTION(S): BREAKTHROUGHS: Colin Dark at the Forensic Science The application of scientific knowledge and methodology to legal problems and criminal investigations. Sometimes called simply forensics, forensic science encompasses many different fields of science, including anthropology, biology, chemistry, engineering, genetics, Laboratory and, below, murder victim Shirley Oliver MAIN PICTURE: Patrick Olner |
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