Home Secretary opens purpose-built forensic mortuary

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has opened London`s first ever purpose-built forensic mortuary giving police and pathologists access to the latest technology to aid homicide investigations.

She was given a tour of the £783,800 post-mortem facility in Westminster, which was funded by the Home Office and will be maintained by Westminster City Council.

The new building named the Iain West Forensic Suite, after one of Britain`s foremost pathologists, is an extension of the existing Westminster Public Mortuary in Horseferry Road which currently deals with at least 600 deaths a year.

It will be used for the post-mortem examinations of suspicious deaths and ensure vital evidence is not contaminated.

The mortuary features a bio-hazard post-mortem room, an equipment and evidence store, plus a CCTV viewing area with a live link to the post mortem room so senior investigating officers can watch forensic pathologists at work.

Tony Nash, Detective Chief Inspector for the Metropolitan Police`s Homicide and Serious Crime Directorate said: “The examinations will be remotely viewed. With issues of DNA and fabric transfer, the less people present, the less chance of contamination and the stronger the evidence is. It will make a big difference to us.

Members of the Metropolitan Police`s forensics unit demonstrated the new facilities to the Home Secretary using a mannequin based on the scenario of a victim who had been shot and stamped on in an attack.

Officers used mobile x-ray machines to show how they can track the trajectory of bullets and employed fluorescent light to identify imprints.

Unveiling a plaque outside the new building, the Home Secretary said: “Through investment we have been able to put in this facility to enable these highly skilled people – the police and forensic pathologists to carry out their important work in identifying and solving crime.

“Their skills and talents aided by the technology is extremely impressive to see and will help us make sure we are able to deal quickly with unexplained deaths and murders.”