First Forensic Examination Of The Silencer - 13th Aug '85

[Holly Goodhead]

The rifle was found on SC's body sans silencer.  JB's relatives found the silencer at the back of a cupboard when they went into the farmhouse on 10th Aug ostensibly to clean and tidy up.  Their w/s's conflict as to who was present when it was found, its state and what exactly happened to it until DS Jones collected it from the Eatons farmhouse on 12th Aug.  DS Jones was supposed to enter such an exhibit into a particular 'property' book. He failed to do this meaning it avoided the type of scrutiny such a find would normally undergo.  On 13th Aug DI Cook took the silencer to the FSS lab at Huntingdon for forensic examination along with other exhibits.

Glynis Howard was the scientist responsible for examining the silencer.  I've uploaded a diagram describing the blood on the outside along with parts of her trial testimony relating to the silencer.

The relatives conflicting accounts include observation of blood and paint on the outside.

DS Jones and DI Cook claim to have observed a single grey hair but this was lost before it reached the lab.

Glynis Howard's diagram and testimony make reference to the blood only.  Why does she not make any reference to the paint? 

[Holly Goodhead]

Relevant parts of testimony:

[Myster]

Errm... because she wasn't asked about the paint in those examination extracts you posted.

[Holly Goodhead]

Errm... because she wasn't asked about the paint in those examination extracts you posted.

Correct but she does say she had difficulty examining it as she had to handle it gingerly to preserve fingerprints. 

Investigators and forensics have to decide the order of examination to preserve evidence.  In this instance a decision was made to remove the blood for examination before DI Cook took it away for fingerprinting which involved placing the silencer into the cyanoacrylate fuming chamber.  Why not remove the tiny particles of paint beforehand to preserve their integrity?

[Myster]

Correct but she does say she had difficulty examining it as she had to handle it gingerly to preserve fingerprints. 

Investigators and forensics have to decide the order of examination to preserve evidence.  In this instance a decision was made to remove the blood for examination before DI Cook took it away for fingerprinting which involved placing the silencer into the cyanoacrylate fuming chamber.  Why not remove the tiny particles of paint beforehand to preserve their integrity?

I thought they did remove the paint according to this third part...

[Holly Goodhead]

I thought they did remove the paint according to this third part...

Yes they did remove the paint particles at a later date.

 The control sample was not taken until 14th Aug.

[Myster]

Yes they did remove the paint particles at a later date.

 The control sample was not taken until 14th Aug.

They weren't taking paint for blood grouping or DNA analysis, but only to compare a layer sample with a control taken from underneath the mantleshelf.  So there was no need to be concerned about cyanoacrylate fumes affecting inert paint.

[Holly Goodhead]

They weren't taking paint for blood grouping or DNA analysis, but only to compare a layer sample with a control taken from underneath the mantleshelf.  So there was no need to be concerned about cyanoacrylate fumes affecting inert paint.

I agree the cyanoacrylate fuming chamber was unlikely to adversely affect the paint particles for further forensic examination unlike the blood.  But assuming the paint particles were actually present on 13th Aug they were miniscule and embedded in the textured end meaning they were about 1mm in size.  The hair had already been lost in transit so why take the risk with the paint particles?  Why not remove them then and there?  Although the cyanoacrylate fuming chamber was unlikely to adversely affect per se it may have caused them to dislodge.

In any event the silencer went in the fuming chamber on 15th Aug and yet we are told it wasn't until 25th Sep that Brian Elliot removed and examined the paint particles.

[Holly Goodhead]

When DS Jones collected the silencer from the relatives on 12th Aug you might think he would go prepared with an exhibit bag/label and HO issued stationery for recording witness testimony.  And yet he turned up empty handed but left with a belly full of whisky and the evidence that has underpinned JB's conviction for over 3 decades.

DB who actually found the silencer at WHF provided a w/s on 12th Sep.  AE who stored the silencer at her farmhouse until DS Jones collected on 12th Aug provided a w/s on 8th Sep.

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[Holly Goodhead]

Here's the previous page of AE's w/s:

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[Holly Goodhead]

PE handed the silencer over to DS Jones after the pair spent the evening drinking whisky together. He provided a w/s on 4th Nov saying he omitted from his first the grey hair.  Neither AE or DB make reference to the grey hair.

[Myster]

PE handed the silencer over to DS Jones after the pair spent the evening drinking whisky together. He provided a w/s on 4th Nov saying he omitted from his first the grey hair.  Neither AE or DB make reference to the grey hair.

That Famous Grouse bottle must have been emptied twenty times over from the number of times you've mentioned it, so I'm surprised Stan made it back home in one piece in his Citroen 2CV.

[Holly Goodhead]

That Famous Grouse bottle must have been emptied twenty times over from the number of times you've mentioned it, so I'm surprised Stan made it back home in one piece in his Citroen 2CV.

Going by the ITV series I think he probably rolled home.

[Myster]

Going by the ITV series I think he probably rolled home.

He wasn't that obese, but CVs are notorious for rolling on corners, though they are pretty...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_2CV#/media/File:Citroen_2CV_1X7A7979.jpg

[Holly Goodhead]

PE handed the silencer over to DS Jones after the pair spent the evening drinking whisky together. He provided a w/s on 4th Nov saying he omitted from his first the grey hair.  Neither AE or DB make reference to the grey hair.

DI Cook testified at trial that he observed the single grey hair attached which was lost in transit to the lab.  And yet neither AE nor DB mention the hair in their w/s's. 

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