Oakhill pensioner fighting to remove details from police database
JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling has been asked to intervene in the case of an innocent man fighting for his police DNA profile to be removed.
Full-time carer Barry Seckerson was arrested last year over claims he had been verbally abusive to a member of the public.
The case was later dropped before it reached court, but Staffordshire Police still retain his DNA profile, picture and fingerprints, which were taken when Mr Seckerson was arrested.
Mr Seckerson, aged 72, of Oakhill, has called on the force to remove his records.
Thinking of changing your job or looking to change career.
Contact BlueSky CVs and get a CV to get your noticed.
Terms: 1 CV per customer full payment prior to commencement of CV
Contact: 01538 710408
Valid until: Monday, May 27 2013
Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Tristram Hunt has now made a representation on behalf of Mr Seckerson to the Justice Secretary.
Mr Seckerson said: "I've asked Staffordshire Police to remove my records but they say I don't meet the criteria for that. I was never charged with anything, so if I don't meet the criteria, who does?
"I'm not just doing this for myself but the 25,000 other people whose DNA profiles are still being kept by Staffordshire Police.
"I want Mr Grayling to explain why police in this country are not abiding by a ruling of the European court, which said police forces couldn't do this. If I don't get answer from him, I'm prepared to take this up with my MEP as well."
In December 2008 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that retaining innocent people's DNA breached their right to a private life.
Both the Tories and Lib Dems pledged to end the practice while in opposition, but have yet to do so.
10 Comments
by Milton_Keanes
Saturday, January 26 2013, 9:47PM
“72?
I suspect the problem may disappear ...”
by DoctorDo
Friday, January 25 2013, 5:10PM
“@mole10
Quote: "The simple facts of the matter are that police have form of planting DNA evidence at a crime scene, which belongs to an innocent person."
Really? I'm sure a scandal like that would have been all over the news. Can you name the case so that I can Google it please?
Mr. Seckerson's DNA should be removed though, that I do agree with.”
by pensioner46
Friday, January 25 2013, 4:32PM
“What ever the reasons were for his arrest the matter did not go to court therefore the DNA records should be destroyed,but it should be done in front of a reliable person or persons.”
by mole10
Friday, January 25 2013, 2:11PM
“The simple facts of the matter are that police have form of planting DNA evidence at a crime scene, which belongs to an innocent person.
This Country openly prides itself on innocence until proven guilty, putting the onus on the prosecuting authorities.
Barry's predicament proves that the prosecuting authorities have no credible evidence to prosecute him, therfore, the complaint was groundless.
The pride that this Country has on the International scene is false and this case proves it.
We do not live in a police State and hsi innocent DNA and any other method used to identify him should be destroyed.
Putting a fingerprint on a murder weapon the other side of the world where the owner has never been is a simplistic task that a child could perform.”
by THX1138
Friday, January 25 2013, 1:09PM
“@ stokeandvale - after all the recent Police corruption and scandals do you trust them to manage the science of dna!”
by stokeandvale
Friday, January 25 2013, 11:20AM
“What does it matter?
Is he planning on committing crimes in the future?”
by THX1138
Friday, January 25 2013, 10:53AM
“@Owdy1 - It makes no difference what he was arrested for, the matter did not get to court so he is an innocent man and therefore there is no need for his DNA to remain on a Police database.”
by mole10
Friday, January 25 2013, 10:45AM
“Fair enough Owdy, you know what we (his friends) know.
But do you know what later happened to the person who bought the complaint?”
by Owdy1
Friday, January 25 2013, 10:25AM
“Mr Seckerson is asking for the support of the press, public and others. We only have his word of what he was arrested for. I have reason to believe it was for something much more than been verbally abusive to someone in the street. Maybe he needs to be fully upfront and honest about the complaint for which he came to the police's attention before creating so much attention around the retention of his DNA.”
by THX1138
Friday, January 25 2013, 9:37AM
“Government is corrupt and gone crazy, one only has to look at some of the crazy verdicts going on in the magistrates courts up and down the land!”