Oxford student quizzed about DNA database by MPs (From Oxford Mail)

Oxford student quizzed about DNA database by MPs

6:36pm Wednesday 20th January 2010 in

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A STUDENT who was unlawfully arrested for littering in Oxford has spoken out against the Government’s national DNA database in front of MPs in Westminster.

Jonathan Leighton, 20, appeared yesterday before MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee, who are scrutinising the controversial database.

The third-year undergraduate at St Anne’s College was arrested and had his DNA taken by police after trying to help tree protester Gabriel Chamberlain by throwing him a bottle of water in January 2008.

He said: “If I’d had a choice I wouldn’t have let the police take my DNA but they said they would take it by force if I didn’t comply.

“What this really boils down to is the balance between freedom and crime control, at the stage where the Government is building up this massive database of DNA, is tipping us towards becoming a Big Brother state.”

His comments follow revelations in the Oxford Mail that nearly three quarters of innocent people have been refused requests for their DNA to be deleted by Thames Valley Police. Only 10 of 37 requests were granted between April 2008 and March last year.

The Government now plans to limit the length of time an innocent person’s DNA can remain on the database to six years.

Mr Leighton told the Oxford Mail he had to fight for 11 months to have his DNA deleted by Thames Valley Police.

However, the force disputes the claim. Police spokesman David Paull said although Mr Leighton’s DNA was taken, it was never put on the national database, as he was not arrested for a recordable offence.