Police claims expert, Jasmine Moxey-Butler, has been interviewed by i news about police forensics underfunding and the Synlab scandal.
Jasmine, who is a partner and head of our specialist Police Compensation Unit, spoke to Steve Robson of i news regarding the far-reaching effects of police forensics underfunding, the calamitous results of which she sees firsthand.
She is representing a number of individuals who have been affected by unreliable drug driving test results carried out by Synlab Laboratory Services Limited. This has been dubbed the Synlab scandal.
Jasmine, along with one of her clients, Mark Cooper, who is a victim of the scandal, spoke to the newspaper about their experiences and the effect of budgetary cuts.
She criticised the lack of a clear outcome for many people impacted by the scandal. She said that the process of overturning unsafe convictions needs to be improved, but that the court service itself is also underfunded.
Jasmine went on to raise concerns that victims could be falling through the cracks, particularly those who may not have had legal representation during their arrest or subsequent criminal investigation.
Voicing her worries, Jasmine said:
“If there have been 1,700 convictions where the basis of forensic evidence is not good enough, are these people even going to know?”
The article highlights the fact that funding for forensics has been stripped to the bone, with one forensic scientist suggesting up to an eye-watering 99% decrease.
While Jasmine and her team have worked predominantly on the Synlab scandal, the impact of police forensics underfunding is more widespread. It can, for instance, impact the chances of a victim of crime obtaining justice, or prevent someone from proving their innocence.
If you would like to discuss your case with police claims expert Jasmine Moxey-Butler then contact our free legal helpline on 0333 888 0404 or send an email with details of your case to us at [email protected].
