Background

In the autumn of 2013, SPA Forensic Services launched a new dedicated Cold Case Review Team (CCRT). Its primary aim was to provide our customers, Police Scotland (PSOS) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) with a more robust and consistent national cold case review service.

From the beginning the FS CCRT worked closely with the PSOS Homicide Governance Review (HGR) team who are based at the Scottish Crime Campus (SCC) and the COPFS National Homicide Team. Initially, Forensic Services, PS Homicide Governance Review and COPFS identified, discussed and prioritised work on the 48
cases.

Over the past 10 years Forensic Services have worked on more than 70 cold cases. These cases have spanned the whole of Scotland and extended internationally through our work on the Lockerbie
Bombing enquiry. The majority of these cases are homicides which date as far back as the 1960s and up to 2019.

The CCRT focus has not just been homicide or laboratory-based. Forensic reviews have also included long-term missing person enquiries looking back over the work undertaken at the time of these investigations.

Forensic Services have a range of different Alternative Light Sources which can assist the scientist to search, detect and recovery trace and biological evidence. This, coupled with the advancement in DNA profiling techniques, provide the CCRT with very powerful tools which allows them to detect very small amounts of biological material which can be tested and provide useable DNA profiles for
intelligence and evidential purposes.

The appendix - Cold Case Review Team. The first decade 2013-2023 – provides members with extensive details of the work of the CCRT over the past 10 years.