One in eight samples from criminals in DNA database filed under innocent names in Government blunder

Last updated at 13:00 27 February 2008

Thousands of DNA samples taken from criminals have been filed under the names of innocent people, it was revealed yesterday.

There are 550,000 false, misspelt or incorrect names on the Government's vast DNA database, which contains more than 4million samples.

That means one in every eight records is thought to be inaccurate.

The news comes as two Britons who were cleared of crimes have launched a landmark human rights challenge to have their DNA samples destroyed.

Michael Marper, 45, and a teenager identified only as "S" are seeking a ruling in Strasbourg that keeping their DNA profiles and fingerprints on record is a breach of their human rights.

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Most alarming is the revelation that many criminals are using other people's names if they are caught.

Home Office Minister Meg Hillier gave the example of somebody who was arrested, and gave their sister's name.

"That data would be on the database," she told MPs.

Politicians are worried that people could be charged with crimes they have not committed if DNA belonging to a criminal who gave their name later turned up at a crime scene.

It was stressed that innocent people could provide an authentic sample of their own DNA to prove it did not match.

However, they would still be forced to undergo the stress and humiliation of a criminal investigation.

The Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, said: "This latest revelation reinforces our calls for a Parliamentary debate on the DNA database.

"Only this Home Office would have a DNA database that targets the innocent but not the guilty."

Miss Hillier said the Home Office was working to remove the errors from the database, and that progress had been made over the last few months.