PRESS RELEASE
April 2009
Eurofins Forensic Services Provided Specialist Sample Analysis to FSS in Serial Rapist John Worboys Investigation
Eurofins Forensic Services provided specialist sample analysis to the Forensic Science Services for the examination of toxicology evidence from the victims throughout the investigation into the sexual assaults of Serial Rapist John Worboys
John Worboys, described as Britain’s most prolific sex attacker was on Friday 13th March was found guilty of 19 chargers of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 female passengers. In one case he raped his victim.
Worboys kept his "tool kit", which included powerful prescribed and over-the-counter sedatives, a bag of cash, alcoholic drinks, including champagne, wine, whisky, gin and vodka, condoms and gloves. He would crush the pills before putting them in the drinks and then drive around waiting for the drugs to take effect.
Worboys would persuade them to have a drink, which he had spiked with a powerful sedative drug and then assault them on the back seat of his cab before taking them home.
Samples from the victims including hair was taken by the Forensic Science Services and submitted to ChemTox, an internationally recognized laboratory specialising in drug analysis in hair that falls within the Eurofins partnership.
The detection of many pharmaceuticals requires the use of some of the very latest technologies as they are only present in extremely low concentrations. Consequently, there are only a small number of laboratories around the World capable of this type of analysis
The results of these after expert interpretation showed all of the hair samples were positive for sedatives including Diphenhydramine, a sedative found in over the counter medications such as Nytol.
This is not the first incident where Diphenhydramine has been used to subdue victims in sexual assaults. In May 2006 Trevor Haddock the ring leader of a paedophile gang was jailed for life after pleading guilty to 14 offences, including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault. Haddock plied his victims with sedatives, alcohol and cigarettes.
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Contact Details:
Eurofins Forensic Services
Imperial House
Imperial Way
Newport
NP10 8UH
www.eurofinsforensics.co.uk
Notes for the editor:
Drugs, chemicals, and biological substances when ingested, smoked, inhaled or injected into the body, enter the blood stream to exert an effect. Within a few hours the drugs can be detected in the saliva, blood itself & the urine but only for a limited period of time, for most drugs around 3 or 4 days. However, as the blood travels round the body it circulates the drugs and they can become incorporated into keratinised tissue such as hair and nails. With their slow growth rate and the prolonged persistence of drugs and chemicals within them, both hair and nails afford an opportunity to investigate any long-term or persistent administration and an extended window of time to permit the detection of a one-off ingestion.
Analysis for drugs in hair or nails has already been used in a wide range of criminal investigations including the following:
- Possession of drugs with intent to supply
- Drugs facilitated sexual assaults
- Munchausen syndrome by proxy
- Administration of a noxious substance
- Manslaughter and Murder
- Abduction
- Robbery
In addition to the commonly abused drugs (Heroin, cocaine, etc), less common drugs such as GHB and pethidine can be detected as well as a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs (including temazepam and meclozine).
The detection of many pharmaceuticals requires the use of some of the very latest technologies as they are only present in extremely low concentrations. Consequently, there are only a small number of laboratories around the World capable of this type of analysis.
Eurofins – a global leader in bio-analysis
Eurofins Scientific, a life sciences company operating internationally to provide a comprehensive range of analytical testing services to clients from a variety of industries including the pharmaceutical, food and environmental sectors.
With over 7,000 staff in more than 100 laboratories across 29 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 25,000 reliable analytical methods for evaluating the authenticity, origin, safety, identity, composition and purity of biological substances and products. The Group is committed to provide its customers with high quality services, accurate results in time and, if requested, expert advice by our highly qualified staff.
The Eurofins Group is one of the global market leaders in this field of applied life sciences. It intends to pursue its dynamic growth strategy and expand both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D, in-licensing and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.
As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international player in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the demands of regulatory authorities around the world.
The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris (ISIN FR0000038259) and Frankfurt (WKN 910251) Stock Exchanges (Reuters EUFI.LN, Bloomberg ERF FP, ESF, EUFI.DE).
About the FSS
The FSS is one of the world’s leading providers of forensic science services, and is the market leader in the UK. Its principal activities include an unrivalled range of services for forensic casework, consultancy and training (including development of new forensic establishments abroad), paternity testing, and the supply of high quality evidence recovery kits and packaging (Scenesafe).
Customers include the 43 police forces in England and Wales, public sector organisations and commercial companies, defence solicitors, and more than 60 overseas governments and law enforcement agencies.
The Forensic Science Service®is a trading name of Forensic Science Service Ltd., which is a UK Government owned company (GovCo). The Forensic Science Service and FSS are registered trademarks of Forensic Science Service Ltd.
For more information visit www.forensic.gov.uk
