Steve Wright
At the end of 2006, Suffolk Constabulary requested the Forensic Science Service’s support in one of the largest multiple murder enquiries in the county’s history. During the 14 month investigation, the Forensic Science Service worked in close partnership with the police providing a variety of services including crime scene support, DNA profiling and fibre analysis.
During the course of the investigation over 100 scientists spent more than 6000 hours analysing:
- More than 100 swabs for body fluids and DNA
- Thousands of fibres
- 580 exhibits including those from Steve Wright’s home and vehicle, the victims and the location where each was found.
Specialist Advisor, Judith Cunnison, was appointed to ensure swift forensic response to a set of increasingly complex and rapidly changing circumstances. Working closely with the teams investigating the murders, Judith was able to advise the most effective forensic techniques and ensure a swift response from the local Forensic Science Service laboratory – which was providing support 24 hours a day in eight different scientific disciplines.
This constant scientific support ensured that the Forensic Science Service was able to provide information about a match to the National DNA database three days after the swab had been submitted to its Huntingdon laboratory for processing.
This match led to the arrest of Steve Wright – whose profile was held on the National DNA Database after a previous conviction for theft.
Subsequently, the Forensic Science Service’s mobile laboratory was deployed to Ipswich to support the police’s examination of items from Steve Wright’s property and screen items before they were sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The Forensic Science Service provided immediate forensic support throughout the initial five week investigation and in the following 14 month period until the case reached the courtroom.
In total, the analysis process took over 14 months and involved all of the following services:
Forensic Support in Suffolk:
Specialist Advisor Support:
The role of a Specialist Advisor is to advise the police of the most appropriate and effective forensic strategy to employ during a complex investigation.
In this case, Suffolk Constabulary called upon one of the Forensic Science Service’s most experienced Specialist Advisors, Judith Cunnison.
“This was a unique investigation and the police recognised the important role forensic science might play in identifying the person responsible, “ said Judith, “Working so closely with the police throughout the investigation meant that I was able to ensure that the appropriate resources were available back at the laboratory to provide swift response during such a fast moving investigation.”
Scene Services:
As part of the 24/7 response one of the Forensic Science Service’s most experienced scientists provided practical help and advice to the police during the examination of the scenes where Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls were found.
Mobile laboratory:
Later in the investigation, one of the Forensic Science Service’s Forensic Response Vehicles was sent to Suffolk Police Headquarters to screen items of clothing removed from Steve Wright’s property. Scientists identified a number of items comprising of fibres consistent with some of those recovered from the victims and prioritised these for more detailed examination back at the laboratory.
Some of these items were not only the source of some of the fibres found on the victims, but also contained vital DNA evidence.
Work in the laboratory:
DNA profiling:
Initially, the surface of each of the victims’ bodies was swabbed to recover foreign DNA. Over 100 swabs were taken and processed using the SGM Plus profiling method. Of these, 26 provided vital clues to help the police progress the investigation.
“We used new rapid DNA profiling methods to obtain DNA profiles in less than eight hours,” said Peter Hau, senior forensic scientist. “This speed was vital in such a fast moving investigation.”
“This profile was entered onto the National DNA database and generated a match to Steve Wright.” Peter continues. “His DNA profile had previously been entered onto the National DNA database after a previous conviction for theft.”
Steve Wright’s DNA was recovered from Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls.
After his arrest, initial examination of items recovered from Steve Wright’s home and vehicle confirmed the presence of body fluids. Scientists extracted the DNA from these fluids and obtained DNA profiles matching Paula Clennell, Anneli Alderton and Annette Nicholls.
The Forensic Science Service has pioneered every major breakthrough in the field of DNA forensic analysis worldwide. SGM Plus is the one of the most frequently used DNA profiling techniques in the UK. It looks at 11 areas of a person’s DNA including that denoting their sex. The likelihood of another person sharing the same DNA profile obtained using the SGM Plus profiling method is one in a billion – excludes identical twins.
Fibre analysis:
Fibres matching those found at Steve Wright’s property and vehicle were recovered from each of the five victims during the course of the investigation.
Scientists recovered fibres from the bodies of Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls using adhesive tape. After meticulous examination, scientists located and recovered fibres from the hair of both Tania Nicol and Gemma Adams.
Scientists examined each fibre to establish the type of fibre and its colour & dye composition. These were then compared against items recovered from Steve Wright’s property and vehicle. Fibres and debris recovered from these items were also examined in a similar manner.
During this phase of the investigation, scientists found that a number of fibres recovered from the victims matched items of Steve Wright’s clothing and his vehicle. These included:
- Fibres matching the carpet of Steve Wright’s car were found in the hair of Tania Nicol.
- Fibres from a pair of navy blue track suit bottoms recovered from Steve Wright’s home were found to be indistinguishable in terms of colour, microscopic appearance and chemical & dye composition to those recovered from four of the victims.
- Fibres from a grey and brown fleece coat were indistinguishable in terms of colour, microscopic appearance as well as chemical and dye composition to those recovered from two of the victims. It was also found to contain blood attributable to Paula Clennell.
Scientists also identified a number of fibre ‘collectives’ that were common not only to the victims but also present on Steve Wright’s clothing and in his car. Most notably:
- Red acrylic fibres recovered from the parcel shelf of Steve Wright’s Ford Mondeo were found to match those found on Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Gemma Adams.
A ‘collective’ is a term used to describe a number of fibres of a specific type removed from the surface of more than one item of evidence. Whilst these items are not the source of the recovered fibres, the type, colour and dye composition of these fibres suggest that they have the same origin.