A TINY SCRAP of blue material held in the vaults of a Portuguese forensic lab could provide the vital link between German suspect Christian B and Madeleine McCann. Cops hope that continuing advances in DNA testing may yet provide a full profile for comparison with the 43-year-old convicted paedophile and rapist. The material comes from […]
A TINY SCRAP of blue material held in the vaults of a Portuguese forensic lab could provide the vital link between German suspect Christian B and Madeleine McCann.
Cops hope that continuing advances in DNA testing may yet provide a full profile for comparison with the 43-year-old convicted paedophile and rapist.
The material comes from the bedspread draped over the bed Madeleine was sleeping on when she was abducted from her family’s holiday apartment.
Tests uncovered a microscopic a DNA profile initially identified as semen, but later confirmed to be saliva.
Scientists were unable to obtain a full DNA profile at the time but have continued to work on it with new testing techniques.
The sample is being held at the National Institute of Legal, Medical and Forensic Science, in Coimbra, near Lisbon.
Forensic tests have also been carried out on particles taken from the floor, sofa, walls and skirting board in the McCann’s apartment at the Ocean Village complex.
The work has been carried out carefully to try and protect the samples from deteriorating further.
Portuguese scientists at another lab are said to have bungled earlier tests.
German prosecutors say no conclusive proof has been discovered to definitely link prime suspect Christian to Madeleine’s kidnap.
However, a source told The Sun: “There is still a hope that with continuing forensic advances in DNA testing, a profile might be obtained for proper comparison.”
The case was hampered on the night of Madeleine’s disappearance after Portuguese cops failed to seal off the crime scene.
A mass trawl of mobile phones used in the area has established that Christian was in Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine vanished aged three in May 2007.
Former Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville, a forensics expert, told the Sun: “DNA technology advances every year and what is seemingly impossible now may be a simple procedure in the future.
“When DNA was first used around 30 years ago a large quantity of blood or other body fluid was required to obtain a full profile of a suspect or victim.
“Now a speck of evidence is all that is needed. The amount required to get a match reduces year on year, whilst the number of techniques to identify DNA increases.”
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