FAQ

Call us on 0191 332 4999 or email kbc@keithborer.co.uk to discuss your requirements. We usually ask to see case papers in order to advise on what work can be done and to prepare an accurate estimate of costs.

Yes, we subscribe to the CJSM service and our email address is kbc@keithborer.co.uk.cjsm.net.

Yes, we routinely work with private individuals, not just lawyers. Rest assured, your enquiry will be treated in the strictest confidence. Irrespective of who instructs us, as experts with a duty to the court, we aim to offer an impartial service.

Yes, of course! We feel it is essential that you can discuss your instructions directly with an expert, clarify early on what can or can’t be done within the available funding and discuss the case and any new evidence as it progresses. Our casework logistics team will be able to update you regarding arrangements for site visits or examinations and when the report will be completed.

Attendance at our offices is by prior appointment only. If you need to deliver an exhibit or urgent case papers, please contact us before travelling to either office location.

The main office is in Durham and there is a satellite office in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire). Many scientists work remotely from locations around the UK.

Yes. We routinely work in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and are familiar with the court systems in each jurisdiction. We can also work further afield, for example in the British Overseas Territories.

There are different fee structures for Criminal, Civil and Privately funded work. Please contact us for up to date prices. Our work is usually billed on an hourly basis, with attendance at court charged on a daily or part-daily basis.

Yes, we accept instructions in Legal Aid cases authorised in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Turnaround times depend on the type of work undertaken. The time we quote will be from the date Legal Aid or other funding is approved. For example, BAC calculation reports can usually be done within a matter of days, whereas the Digital Forensics team may require several weeks’ or months’ notice, depending on the complexity of the case and their other commitments. Please contact us for up to date information.

In privately funded cases, we ask for payment to be made before any work is carried out. We understand that solicitors in Legal Aid cases submit their bills at the end of a case and payment can be made after that; we encourage applications for interim payments in longer running cases.

Yes, all staff are security cleared before commencing their employment with Keith Borer Consultants. Staff are also subject to Non-Police Vetting Level 3 during their employment.

KBC maintains a detailed computerised record of all items and exhibits held in our secure store. This includes details of when and where they were taken for examination. It can be produced for court purposes, to demonstrate continuity of evidence, should this be required. The store is audited regularly.

Please see the company’s Privacy Police HERE.

Yes. We often receive instructions from the police or Crown Prosecution Service. These can be unusual requests at the peculiar and sometimes difficult end of the spectrum, where lateral thinking and the design of specific testing are required. Such work is often outside of standard contracts which police forces have with their normal suppliers of forensic services.

Yes, we regularly visit:

• police stations or forensic laboratories to examine exhibits, test results and casefiles
• accident loci to take measurements, photographs and video footage
• prisons or solicitors’ offices to photograph individuals for imagery comparisons

Yes. We are able to apply scientific method to unusual enquiries and devise rigorous testing, if necessary. If none of our experts are suitably qualified to deal with your instructions, we will help you try to find one who is.

No. We have in-house laboratories for some testing and a network of suppliers who can undertake testing on our behalf. All our suppliers are checked so we can be sure their work is of the highest quality.

Yes.  At our laboratory in Durham we have the ability to examine exhibits for the presence of blood. Recovery of blood samples or DNA samples from items to determine who may have been in contact with them, so called ‘handler’ or ‘touch’ DNA samples, and examinations for saliva or semen can be carried out at one of our suppliers’ facilities under our instruction.

For non-criminal, private matters we can arrange to carry out testing of clothing, underwear etc, for the presence of semen. However, the Human Tissue Act 2004 precludes us from carrying out DNA profiling to determine the source of any semen detected. This is because where it is suspected that semen from another man may be present on a garment, we would not have the consent of that person to DNA profile their biological material.

The Forensic Science Regulator has set out a Code of Practice and Conduct relating to different areas of forensic evidence. The method of demonstrating compliance with the Code for most of the scientific disciplines is through accreditation to ISO 17025 or ISO 17020. Keith Borer Consultants is actively extending the scope of its accreditation to cover a broad spectrum of services. Click on the UKAS logo (in the website footer) to see our current accreditation.

In the first instance, please email your query to kbc@keithborer.co.uk.

The majority of our work is office-based, rather than laboratory-based, so there are limited opportunities for work experience or student placements. Please email your enquiry to kbc@keithborer.co.uk in the first instance and it will be considered. Students must be at least 18 years old.

There are many different aspects of forensic science, from traditional disciplines like fingerprints, to emerging digital technologies. Some roles are at entry level, suitable for new graduates, others are for experienced, court-going expert witnesses. Current vacancies at Keith Borer Consultants are advertised on our website.