DNA database fears

Published on Thursday 28 February 2008 19:37

Can I suggest that Alexander McKay (Letters, 26 February), in supporting the concept of a national DNA database, reflects on his comment: "Any supposed human rights violation is of little consequence in the detection of brutal killers and the protection of the innocent," and on his labelling of those who oppose it as "paranoid".

I would argue that "protection of the innocent" includes protecting the citizen against wrongful accusation and imprisonment by the state.

I was not "paranoid" in my ten-year fight against the Scottish Criminal Record Office experts who wrongly identified my daughter's fingerprint and another print that condemned an innocent man to life in prison. I am not "paranoid" in seeking to prevent experts who refuse to recant their past mistakes from continuing to threaten "the innocent" by giving evidence in Scottish courts.

Let's hope Mr McKay's prints or DNA are never misidentified or he might have cause to rue calling those who urge caution in implementing such biometric databases as "paranoid".

IAIN A J McKIE

South Beach Road

Ayr