'Innocent' records of DNA set for change

THE length of time DNA profiles of all arrested, but cleared, British adults should be held on a national database would be cut to 6 from 12 years, newspapers reported yesterday, ahead of an official announcement.

Civil liberties groups and opposition parties have accused ministers of not going far enough to scale back the huge database in response to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights last year.

The court said that the current policy of storing indefinitely the genetic fingerprint of everyone who is arrested is unlawful.

In response, the Home Office will set new rules for the retention of electronic records in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In May, ministers proposed holding the profiles of violent and sexual offenders for up to 12 years.

The Home Office also immediately removed from the database the DNA of children under 10 years old.

Newspapers reported yesterday that the government had, under pressure, scaled back the 12-year rule to six years for adults who had not been convicted.

The Home Office said the newspaper reports were "pure speculation."

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: "It seems the government still refuses to separate the innocent and the guilty and maintains a blanket approach to DNA retention.

"This grudgingly modified policy creates a repeat collision course with the courts, and ministers look stubborn rather than effective or fair."

She said that "nobody disputed the value of DNA" in solving crimes.

"But stockpiling the intimate profiles of millions of innocent people is an unnecessary recipe for error and abuse," Chakrabarti said.

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