DNA profiles of innocent to be kept for 12 years despite European ruling

The DNA profiles of innocent people will remain on the national database for up to 12 years despite a landmark European Court ruling that they should be deleted.

Some innocent children will also have their profiles kept for a similar period although the majority will have them deleted within six years.

The proposals have been drawn up after the European Court of Human Rights ruled last year that a blanket policy of retaining profiles of innocent people indefinitely was illegal.

It means up to 850,000 DNA profiles, plus a similar number of fingerprints, of people never convicted of a crime will eventually be wiped from the database but the Home Office was accused of doing the bare minimum to abide by the ruling.

An impact assessment for the Home Office said the plans may not meet the requirements of the European Court while civil rights group Liberty is already planning legal action claiming the proposals will still breach human rights. Read more
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