Police promise to delete DNA of innocent 15-year-old boy

Alan Stevens, of Kyffin Avenue, Hull, whose son Joshua spent 15 hours in the custody of Humberside Police, was visited by Chief Insp Kai Adegbembo last week, and given assurances that his son's details would be removed from the DNA database.

It followed an apology from the force's assistant chief constable Alan Lever being read to councillors at full council.

Mr Stevens, 37, said: "I'm glad they have apologised but I still feel bitter and worry this could happen again.

"Why did it take them so long to realise they had the wrong chap?

"If my other lad was ever a witness to a crime I would never ring them now.

"I asked him how I would know for a fact they had taken him off the database. He said 'You are going to have to have a bit of faith in the police'."

Joshua spent a night in a cell after being arrested earlier this month and had a mouth swab taken for DNA, was photographed and had his fingerprints taken.

He said he felt he had been "treated like a criminal" despite protesting his innocence.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said: "We have spoken to the family affected and have apologised.

"As this case is currently under subjudice, we are not able to comment further."

She added: "An individual who has been proved innocent of all doubt of being responsible for the offence they were arrested for can apply for their details, taken as a result of the arrest, to be removed."

Two other boys arrested in connection with an alleged sexual assault on the girl have been released on police bail until the end of January pending further inquiries.

Last year it was revealed that the force had taken DNA samples from more than 17,000 children and added them to the database.

Nationally just 377 profiles of innocent people were deleted last year after appeals.

The DNA database for England and Wales holds over five million profiles – the largest per head of population in the world – including an estimated million people with no criminal conviction.