Digital evidence call

STREAMLINED CASE: DVD helps convict DJ's murderers

The future of DVD (digital versatile disc) will no longer be confined to home entertainment as the technology moves into the legal arena, speeding up trials and improving efficiency, it has been suggested.

The prediction came after DVD helped convict six men accused of the murder of disc jockey Marcus Hall in Luton last year.

Business consultants Control Risks worked with Bedfordshire Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to compile more than two hours of footage featuring 17 exhibits.

The jury was also allowed to watch this during its deliberations.

Sarah Brown, CPS acting chief prosecutor and trial unit head, said the technology had streamlined presentation of the various sources of video evidence in the case.

'DVD was invaluable in presenting the evidence and making it easier for the jury to understand,' she said.

'This has got to be the way forward.'

Chris Mills, director of forensics at Control Risks, said the fact that DVD could present video, photographs, paper documents and 'anything else you can put through your computer' helped all parties involved in a trial.

'It is popular with defence solicitors because often their biggest complaint is about substandard material,' he added.

'CCTV footage and video evidence deteriorates in quality, but with DVD this is not the case.'

A spokeswoman for the Lord Chancellor's Department said several trials had recently used similar methods as part of the electronic presentation of evidence (EPE) pilots, with others in the pipeline.

Evidence suggested that EPE could cut the length of trials by up to 20%, she added.

Paula Rohan