Quinn's Trial: DNA Evidence Links Him to 2003 Attack

0:00On March 13, a trial is underway for 51-year-old Paul Quinn, accused of raping and attacking a woman back in 2003 near Little. Hulton. Prosecutors say DNA from saliva on her vest-top matches Quinn perfectly, uncovered 20 years later thanks to better forensic tech. He faces charges of two counts of rape, grievous bodily harm, and attempted strangulation, but he denies everything. Advancements in DNA testing allowed scientists to pull more material from old evidence, like the victim's clothing. Earlier tests in 2007 spotted an unknown male's DNA that didn't match anyone involved at first, including the woman's partner. That unknown profile led to a huge miscarriage of justice. Another man, Andrew Malkinson, was wrongly convicted based on eyewitness picks, including the victim's confident but mistaken ID. He spent 17 years in prison before being cleared when tests showed no link to him. Fast forward to last year, in 2023, retesting the vest-top gave a clear match.

1:01Experts say it's at least one billion times more likely Quinn contributed the DNA than some random person. His profile was already in the national database from police searches. Now on day 7 of the trial and Manchester Crown Court, the focus stays on this breakthrough evidence as the case pushes forward.