Only one DNA profile removed from database a day – Holmes

Just 377 DNA profiles were removed from the DNA database last year despite there being an estimated 1m innocent people’s profiles held, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.

More than 5m profiles are held on the database in total. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in December 2008 that the retaining of innocent people’s DNA is illegal.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, Paul Holmes said:

“ It is a disgrace that we have got a million innocent people on the database in the first place and it is a disgrace that people are not being taken off.

“A lot of people are absolutely furious about this. The court ruling went their way and yet nothing is happening.

“Police forces have got the discretion to remove profiles, yet some are and some aren’t.”