An “urgent” review into the Metropolitan Police is taking place after it was revealed that 33 criminal investigations may have been affected by suspected forensics mishandling, Scotland Yard has confirmed. The Directorate of Professional Standards is investigating after a forensic scientist working within the Met’s Forensic Services allegedly mishandled material in its laboratory. A statement from the Met said: "An internal review has found that 33 separate criminal investigations have been affected - 21 of these cases relate to investigations into rapes and other sexual assaults; the remaining 12 are investigations into violence, burglary and drugs offences. It said the scientist allegedly “did not complete the requisite forensic examinations and in some case wrongly informed investigators about the progress of forensic examinations.”

The scientist was suspended on 26 March as part of the investigation. The Met said in a press release: “An internal review has found that 33 separate criminal investigations have been affected. Image copyright chieferu Image caption The review will help to determine whether there is any risk to the criminal justice process

More than 30 criminal investigations including 21 sex attacks are being reviewed after a forensic scientist apparently botched examinations. “All victims in the affected cases have been contacted, where it has been deemed appropriate to do so.”

It added that in the rape and sexual assault investigations, victims have been contacted by a Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques officer. “All victims in the affected cases have been contacted, where it has been deemed appropriate to do so.”

All the work of the scientist, who was suspended on March 26, has been audited and the Met said it is “satisfied that there are no other instances of undeclared casework”.
The Metropolitan Police of London announces a review of 21 rapes and sexual assaults as well as 12 other offences including violence and burglaries over inadequately performed "undeclared casework" by a forensic scientist.