Summary
WJEC criminology unit 3 AC1.2 summary notes
- Module
- Crime Scene to Courtroom
- Institution
- WJEC
notes for AC1.2 with case studies
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AC1.2-Explain the social construction ofcriminality (law change over time)
David Butler case summary:
Anne-Marie body found bludgeoned to death in 2005 and David Butler was arrested for her murder,
due to evidence linking him to the crime. Police had previously taken his DNA after a break-in at his
mother’s house a few years prior: his DNA was found on the victim’s body. He spent 8 months in
prison before trialled.
Background: His DNA was found on a cigarette in his mother’s home after the
police were investigating the break-in.
He worked as a taxi driver and was known to have used sex workers in the
location of Anne-Marie’s murder. Apparently, a distinctive taxi was seen near the
murder site at the time of the murder. Anne-Marie was a sex worker, who would
use drugs and steal from her clients.
The murder and court: The victim was strangled and battered to death in
Liverpool. Footage was found of her stepping into a striped car (thought to be the
distinctive taxi). Butler’s partial DNA match was found on her nails and her
cardigan buttons. The jury was shown the video footage of her stepping into the
taxi, which provided compelling evidence that she was in contact with him right
before her murder. In court Butler made in clear that he had never had any
contact with her and nor could he have physically been able to drag a body due
to his bronchitis.
The acquittal: There was a mix of DNA profiles found under the nails of the
victim, but Butlers was the only partial match. He also had a condition which led
him to have flaky skin. The victim was wearing a glittery nail polish which meant
that DNA would stick to it for a longer amount of time. It was concluded that
David Butler’s DNA had made its way to Anne-Marie’s hand and clothing due to
money he handle as a taxi driver.
Weaknesses:
o There was a partial match
o Mix of DNA profiles
o Skin condition
o Bronchitis
Newspaper:
Anne-Marie, 46-year-old prostitute brutally murdered in Liverpool city centre on
4th September 2005. Found dead near the bushes after being strangled and
beaten with what is thought to have been a tree branch. A local taxi driver.
Evidence was found on the victim which led him to be arrested. A partial match
of his DNA was found under the fingernails of the victim and on her clothing.
However there were a mix of other DNA profiles found but this was not looked
into as his was the only partial match.
, Usefulness of forensics:
Strengths:
o Found in nearly every cell
o DNA is unique and high reliability
o Helps to prove innocence
o Helps to prove guilt
o Helps identify victims
o Helps police to solve ‘cold cases’
o DNA from close relatives can help
Weakness
o Cross contamination is possible
o Not all cases have recoverable forensic samples
o Suspect must be on database to find a match
o Trace amount can falsely implicate a person
o Storage of DNA profiles of innocent people
Forensic evidence can be incredibly useful in criminal investigations as it can be
used to solve very hard cases and ones that haven’t been solved due to
insufficient evidence/technology. However, some forensic techniques are more
useful than others such as blood splatter analysis would be more useful in brutal
murders. The evidence is most useful in laboratories because it can be carefully
investigated under a microscope; violent cases such as murder and rape is most
beneficial from forensic science because the DNA is frequently left behind such
as; blood, hair, fingerprints and bodily fluids. This allows a DNA profile to be
made.
Colin Pitchfork – first man to be incarcerated using DNA profiling.
Colette Aram –
David Butler – using partial DNA match, ignoring health conditions
Intelligence database - information that has been obtained from many sources
and often includes confidential sources. Has to be recorded and evaluated so it is
credible and reliable.
Types of intelligence databases:
Police national database holds over 3.5 million searchable records.
Police national computer: stores over 12 million people’s arrests, convictions,
and cautions. Linked to fingerprint and DNA databases. Holds vehicle registration
data of 48 million people who hold a driving license. Also holds vital information
like missing and wanted people.
Crimint: holds info on criminals and protestors.
Interpol: shares information between countries regarding child sexual
exploitation, stolen property and organised crime.
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