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Genetic testing advances led to suspect's arrest
POLICE charged Ronald Castree with Lesley Molseed's murder after using DNA technology which was unavailable when she went missing 32 years ago, the court heard.
Julian Goose, QC, prosecuting, told the hearing: "The police, in the 1970s, did not have the benefit that we now have of obtaining DNA profiles for comparison to help identify the perpetrator of a crime.
"Their efforts were confined to attempts in the recovery of fibres as well as attempting to discover a blood group from semen stains."
Mr Goose said that, in 1975, forensic scientists looking for clues placed adhesive tape on a roller and then ran it over Lesley's clothing.
The evidence was examined and placed in storage, with a unique reference number attached to each tape but scientists were unable to determine the murderer's blood group from the sperm traces they collected.
Lesley's clothing was destroyed in 1985, but scientists examining the adhesive tapes in 1999 were able to extract a number of sperm heads from which a clear DNA profile could be obtained.
The court heard this DNA profile exactly matched Castree's, which was obtained when he was arrested in Oldham for "an unrelated and irrelevant incident" in 2005.
Mr Goose told the jury: "At its best, the probability of one DNA profile matching that of another, from a separate unrelated person is less than one in billion."
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