Sean Hoey acquitted of Omagh bombing

Sean Hoey has been acquitted of the infamous Omagh bomb.

Apparently the case against him has been built on "Low Copy Number" DNA which can take the minutest sample of DNA and "amplify" it to produce a profile.

There are obvious logical problems with this approach, not the least of which is how do you know that the sample obtained from a crime scene does not contain DNA from a number of sources?

LCN DNA may be useful for directing an investigation, but the Judge at the trial today, Mr Justice Weir did not seem impressed by it as he threw the whole case and gave damning criticism of the police investigation.

Lets be clear. DNA is no magic bullet, Low Copy Number DNA doubly so. No one should be convicted on the basis of such evidence alone.


The BBC has this.