LOCAL POLICE HOLD DNA DATA FOR 23,364 INNOCENT PEOPLE

12.00.00pm GMT Tue 19th Jan 2010

Steve Gilbert has said it should be easier for innocent people to have their DNA removed from the police database

Almost 2,500 innocent people across Cornwall and Devon have been added to the National DNA Database since the European Court of Human Rights ruled in December 2008 that the practice was illegal - taking the total DNA of innocent people stored by the local police force to 23,364, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

Steve Gilbert, the prospective MP for St Austell & Newquay, said

"In December 2008 the European Court of Human Rights rules that it was illegal for the Government to keep the DNA of innocent people on record.

"Despite the Government's promises to abide by the European Court's ruling, they are still doing everything they can to avoid it.

"Labour's cynical proposals will create a half-guilty class of people with their most intimate personal information held by the police for six years - even though they have done nothing wrong.

"This is a gross distortion of one of the fundamental principles of this country - that you are innocent until proven guilty."