ALMOST 3000 CHILDREN UNDER 16 ON WEST MERCIA POLICE DNA DATABASE

5.25.40pm GMT Tue 11th Dec 2007

Almost 3000 children in the West Mercia policing area currently under the age of 16 have their details on the Government's DNA database, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have shown.

The headline figure masks extremely wide variations between forces, with Northamptonshire retaining just 845 DNA profiles of under-16s, whilst West Midlands Police have 10,000 DNA records for the same age group.

A full regional breakdown is attached.

The number of samples taken may be even higher, as figures show the current age of the individual sampled, rather than their age at the time.

Commenting on the figures for West Mercia, West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt said:

"These figures underline the shocking extent to which this database has intruded, often without parental consent, into the lives of our children.

"Thousands of these children will have been found guilty of no crime, yet samples of their DNA will remain on file for life.

"The disturbing and illiberal policy of adding a child's most personal information to a massive government computer system, simply on the grounds of an accusation, should stop immediately."