FOI 342322

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 342322

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 19^th June 2024. Please find below the response to your request:

1. How many unidentified bodies or sets of human remains you currently have under your jurisdiction, broken down by decade found, gender, and ethnicity.
2. How many of these unidentified persons cases are represented on the National Crime Agency’s database (found here).
3. How many of these unidentified persons have facial reconstructions or facial photos associated with them.
4. How many of these unidentified persons have DNA associated with them, broken down according to testing status.
5. How many of these unidentified persons are assigned to an investigator.
6. How many of the investigations into identifying these bodies or sets of remains would be considered “cold” i.e., all viable leads in the investigation have been exhausted and the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) considers there is nothing further that can be progressed in the investigation at that time.
7. Whether you currently engaging with any charities, universities, or other organisations (e.g., Locate International, Missing People) to further investigation of unidentified persons cases.
8. Your currently status with regards to the use of forensic/investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) to investigate unidentified persons cases.

Reply

1. How many unidentified bodies or sets of human remains you currently have under your jurisdiction, broken down by decade found, gender, and ethnicity.

No information held - upon discovery, the body/remains are transferred by police to the coroner and jurisdiction for them becomes, and remains, that of the coroner. It is the coroner who instructs post mortem(s), carried out by independent pathologists and Home Office pathologists alike. Samples (such as DNA, small tissue samples) can be taken where there is a criminal justice purpose, and these samples can be retained by police as part of any relevant investigation, it is that aspect which would be held by the Police Force.

2. How many of these unidentified persons cases are represented on the National Crime Agency’s database (found here).

2

3. How many of these unidentified persons have facial reconstructions or facial photos associated with them.

1 has photo’s of remains

1 did have facial reconstruction but not by police, this was carried out by Liverpool John Moore’s University.

4. How many of these unidentified persons have DNA associated with them, broken down according to testing status.

0

5. How many of these unidentified persons are assigned to an investigator.

0

6. How many of the investigations into identifying these bodies or sets of remains would be considered “cold” i.e., all viable leads in the investigation have been exhausted and the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) considers there is nothing further that can be progressed in the investigation at that time.

2

7. Whether you currently engaging with any charities, universities, or other organisations (e.g., Locate International, Missing People) to further investigation of unidentified persons cases.

0 no current engagement.

8. Your currently status with regards to the use of forensic/investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) to investigate unidentified persons cases.

No information held.