Take everyone's DNA, says senior judge

LONDON, Sep 5 (Reuters) The entire population of Britain -- and every visitor -- should be added to the national DNA database, a senior judge has argued.

Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Stephen Sedley, said the database, which holds the DNA from millions of suspects and crime scenes, should be extended to all residents and even tourists, in the interests of fairness and crime prevention.

''Where we are at the moment is indefensible,'' Sedley told BBC radio.

''Everybody, guilty or innocent, should expect their DNA to be on file for the absolutely rigorously restricted purpose of crime detection and prevention -- and no other purpose.'' Sedley said he was aware his idea would be viewed as a dangerous breach of civil liberties.

''It is authoritarian measure to the extent that it demands people depart with some further measure of their autonomy and privacy and it has to be justified,'' he added.

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said there were no plans to make the database compulsory for all residents and visitors for the foreseeable future.

''But no-one ever says never,'' he told BBC radio.

''I think we're broadly sympathetic to the thrust of what he's saying. (The idea) has logic to it but I think he's underestimating the practical issues, logistics, civil and ethical issues that surround it.'' He rejected Sedley's claim that the database was 'indefensible,'' but accepted there was room for debate on the workings of the present system, including time limits on the storing of information.

The DNA database was launched 12 years ago and is the world's largest. It holds four million profiles and 30,000 samples are added each month.

The data of everyone arrested remains on the system, regardless of whether they were prosecuted.

Around 24,000 samples are from young people between 10 and 17-years-old who were never convicted of an offence.

Professor Stephen Bain, a member of the national DNA database strategy board, told BBC radio that Sedley's proposal would be an expensive undertaking, with the potential for exploitation.

''The DNA genie can't be put back in the bottle,'' he said.

''If the information about you is exposed due to illegal or perhaps even legalised use of the database, in a way that is not currently anticipated, then it's a very difficult situation.'' Chief constable of Lincolnshire police and Chairman of the DNA board, Tony Lake, suggested a time limit for the storage of DNA relating to minor crime.

''If we are talking about very minor offences... I don't think that it's a problem to say let's have a means by which we would reassess if we want to keep that DNA,'' he told BBC radio.

The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, said he welcomed a debate on the proposal, but there were significant practical and civil liberty issues that needed addressing.

''We have to think very long and very hard before going down this road,'' he said.

REUTERS LPB BST1450