Addendum B to Interactive CD-ROM Proficiency Testing and Training: Learning From Experience, by Ashley (Forensic Science Communications, April 2001)

Interactive CD-ROM Proficiency Testing and Training: Learning From Experience

Addendum B

DATA FOR:

Session started:
12:56 24/08/99

General Notes:
GenNote1 12:57 24/08/99
16/03/99 0800 Hrs Constable
Rape - Greenbank Motel room 35 approx 2230 hrs to midnight 15/03/99.

Single story brick motel building. Main door to room from carpark. Carpark accessable to public and not well lit. No sign of forced entry or exit.

Scene security. Room locked after incident and key given to Manager. No police guard. After incident room was entered by Manager, S/C White, Const Paxton.

Comp details. Tracey Bolton, Cauc female, 30 y/o, approx 165 cm, medium length blonde hair, burise RH side of face, gaged during rape. Wearing nightgown, underware? May have scratched offender.

Off details. large male, dark clothing, jeans and disguise over head. Hit comp in face and may have been scratched.

After incident comp taken to Forensic medical officer for examination.

First respose officers SIC White, Const Paxton - Greenbank Police. Arrived at scene ?time? and spoke to comp, distressed. Entered room and excorted comp to FMO, locked room and gave key to manager (Guy Pearce). contacted CIB and rape squad. Did not touch anything in room.

Motel manager, Guy Pearce. sleeping at motel on night of incident and received call from comp about midnight 15/3/99. Room 34? Comp distresssed and stated that she had been assaulted. Went to comp room and stated it was messy and comp was wearing night gown. Comforted comp and called police. Did not touch anything in room.

Comp. Tracey Boulton age 31. About 2230 hrs answered knock on door and saw large male. Dark clothes, jeans, disguise over head. Hit comp in face and gagged her. Raped her on bed. States she tried to scratch and gouge at Off. Passed out and then called manager at approx midnight.

Initial observations of room. (photographed) Main door from carpark opens into a coridoor that leads directly to the bedroom area. Door on RHS in coridor (not accessable in program). Bed doulble size and unmade. topsheet and blankets pulled down. bedside lights on. rear window shut, not visible damage.

Examination

Observed physical evidence.

ITEM 1. On floor under bench on LHS of room ‘SWANS’ beanie. ITEM 2. On top of fridge RHS of room drinking glass. ITEM 3. On Floor in front of bin on RHS of room paper or material with possible blood stains. ITEM 4. Bedside table LHS. Condom packed torn open. ITEM 5. Bedside table LHS. 2 Brown cigerette butts, one white cig butt and ash. ITEM 6. On Bed LHS. near pillow, strips of tape? red stains, blood? ITEM 7. On bed LHS on bottom sheet milky/yellow stain, semen? ITEM 8. On pillow LHS red oval shape stain, blood droplet? ITEM 9. On bed LHS pink underwear. ITEM 10. On floor under bedside table LHS. Not sure what that is, red stains. ITEM 11. On floor LHS of bed. Used condom.

Figure B1. Drawing of crime scene from an unedited, completed competency test. Click image for larger version.

Photographs:

Pic1 12:58 24/08/99
general location photo
Pic2 12:59 24/08/99
number on door
Pic3 12:59 24/08/99
general location photo from door of room
Pic4 1:00 24/08/99
general location photo from door to room
Pic5 1:00 24/08/99
Point of entry
Pic6 1:31 24/08/99
general inside photo
Pic7 1:31 24/08/99
general inside photo
Pic8 1:31 24/08/99
general inside photo
Pic9 1:39 24/08/99
SWANS beanie
Pic10 1:55 24/08/99
unknown object
Pic11 2:02 24/08/99
used condom
Pic12 2:04 24/08/99
cig butts
Pic13 2:07 24/08/99
Underware
Pic14 2:15 24/08/99
drinking glass
Pic15 2:16 24/08/99
material/paper
Pic16 2:17 24/08/99
tape?
Pic17 2:17 24/08/99
red stain on pillow
Pic18 2:17 24/08/99
cig butts
Pic19 2:17 24/08/99
opened condom packet
Pic20 2:20 24/08/99
Yellow stain on bed

Evidence:
Evidence!2:38 24/08/99
Evidence2 2:38 24/08/99
Tape?
Evidence3 2:39 24/08/99
red oval shape stain on pillow on LHS of bed
Evidence4 2:39 24/08/99
cig butts, 2 brown one white, LHS bedside table
Evidence5 2:39 24/08/99
torn open ‘ansell’ condom packet
Evidence6 2:40 24/08/99
milky/yellow stain on bottom sheet of BED
Evidence7 2:40 24/08/99
‘SWANS’ beanie, under bench 1
- Evidence8 2:40 24/08/99
Paper/Material next to bin on RHS of bed. Red stains
- Evidence9 2:41 24/08/99
Drinking glass on top of fridge
- Evidence10 2:42 24/08/99
Used condom on floor on LHS of bed
- Evidence11 2:42 24/08/99
Unknown object red stains, on floor under LHS bed side table
- Evidence12 2:43 24/08/99
Underware on left hand side of bed

Witness Interviews:

—- Hotel Guest 1:11 24/08/99

Video:

- NONE

Question 1:

In relation to the `Control of the Crime Scene’, was the action taken by the first attending police sufficient?
NO

Question 2:

Please explain your answer and identify what you would have expected to have occurred.

In an ideal situation where there is staff available, I would have expected that the area would have been roped off and a police guard would have been maintained at the scene until forensic investigators had completed their scene examination.

Locking the room and giving the key to the motel manager is not good enough because the police can not then guarantee later in court that the scene remained untouched, and have to rely on the testimony of the manager. The manager may later become a suspect or could make a mistake and give the room to someone else that night. He may also become also not be able to be contcted later if the matter goes to court.

For all of these reasons and probably some I have not though of the scene securtiy was not sufficent and what I outlined in paragraph one shoud have occurred.

Question 3:

What sort of questions would you ask of the investigator/ victim/ Motel Manager or the First Attending Police.

Investigator.
Neighbourhood enquiries, do we know where the offender came from or went or how he arrived and left (eg on foot, vehicle)?

First attending police.
What time did you arrive?
Why wasn’t the scene secured by a guard?
What was the comp wearing?
What did you do inside the room?.
Touch anything?
Where did the comp sit when you took her to the FMO? (eg back of the police car)
Who was last out of the room (was the motel manager still in there when you left)?

Motel manager. Are you sure the comp called from room 34?. (IT LOOKS LIKE 35 ON THE DOOR, BUT IT IS NOT REALLY CLEAR???) What exactly did you do in the room, eg have a drink, smoke.
Was the room locked all night and not entered by anybody, eg cleaners?

Victim (complainant). What were you wearing at the time you were assaulted, eg nightgown, underwear.
What did you do after you were assaulted, eg have a shower, get changed?
Was anybody else in your room that night?
Do you smoke, did you smoke in the room that night?
Did you use the drinking glass on the fridge?
What were you gagged with?
Did you injure the offender, eg scratch, bite, pull hair.
Is that your red ‘SWANS’ beanie on the floor.

Question 4:

List the physical evidence (exhibits) you would collect from this crime scene.

1. ‘SWANS’ beanie
2. Paper/Material in front of bin with red stains
3. Condom packet torn open,
4. Cig butts.
5. Tape in bed.
6. Underwear
7. Item 10, object under LHS bedside table
9. Used condom

Question 5:

Explain the reasons for collecting the exhibits that you identified in Q:3.

Beanie - may contain hairs or saliva of the offender. May be able to extract DNA.

Paper/Material in front of bin - has red stains on it, possibly blood. May be able to extract
DNA

Condom packet - offender may have same brand in house, car, pocket etc.

Cig butts - may be able to extract DNA.

Tape in bed - may have hairs and/or fibres of offender as well as red stains which may be blood.

Underwear - may have semen from offender

Item 10 - picture is not to clear, so I can not make out exactly what it is. Has red stains on it so may be blood. If it is offenders blood then may be able to extract DNA.

Used condom - Offenders semen may be able to extract DNA.

Question 6:

What other evidence should be collected as a result of this offence?

Swabs of the red stains on the pillow.
Swabs of the yellow stain on the sheets.
Swabs of the rim of the drinking glass

Fingerprint examination of the drinking glass.
Fingerprint examination of the torn condom packet
Fingerprint examination of room in general, eg any suitable surfaces the offender may have touched.

Tape lift of carpet (may find similar fibres on the offender or in vehicle or on clothes).
Collect the sheets, pillow cases for more detailed examination for hairs, blood, semen.

Clothes comp was wearing at the time of the assault.
Fingernail scraping from the comp.
Blood sample for later DNA comparison.

Question 7:

What other services would you consider necessary in order to process this scene?

The forensic resources that are required at a scene such as this are Scientific officers, fingerprint experts and scenes of crime officers.

Scientific officer - recording and collection of physical and trace evidence.

Fingerprint expert - detection and recording of latent figerprints.

Scenes of crime officer - photograhpy and video and assisting scientific and fingerprint expert in there examinations.

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