Andrew Watkins

An offender who had escaped detection for 16 years was convicted in May of a rape he committed back in 1991, thanks to advances in technology by the Forensic Science Service.
 

Evidence taken from the 25 year old victim’s clothes at the time of the offence was re-analysed by scientists at the FSS using Low Copy Number technology when the case was re-opened by Greater Manchester Police as part of Operation Advance.
 

The super-sensitive LCN  technique was developed by the FSS and was first used in 1999 to obtain profiles from samples that were previously two small to interpret. When applied to materials that had been retained by the FSS in this case it successfully produced a DNA profile.
 

When this was loaded onto the National DNA Database it found a match with Andrew Watkins. Further research revealed that he had been living within one mile of the scene of the attack in 1991.
 

He pleaded guilty to the offence at Manchester Crown Court on 16 May 2007 and was sentenced to six years imprisonment.