title: Palynology and mycology provide separate classes of probative evidence from the same forensic samples: a rape case from southern England.
abstract: A young woman claimed to have been raped at night in a wooded strip of land 120 m from her home. The suspect refuted her claim and said that they had had consensual sexual relations on an area of short turf in a local park, 130 m distant from the alleged crime scene. Comparator samples from each place, and clothing and footwear from each party, were obtained for assessment and analysis. All places that were considered to be relevant to the case were visited, and lists of plant species made. Results showed that the palynological and mycological profiles yielded by the footwear and clothing of both parties closely resembled that of the wooded area, but were dissimilar to that of the park. The profile of the wooded site reflected closely its own vegetation. Faced with the evidence, the suspect confessed. The study proves the value of a multi-proxy approach to forensic investigation using exactly the same preparations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environment, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Road, Aberdeen AB24 3UF, UK; Mycology Section, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK. Electronic address: patricia.wiltshire1@btinternet.com.
authors.forename: Patricia E J
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Wiltshire
authors.affiliation: Mycology Section, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK; Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal, Madrid 28040, Spain; Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hawksworth
authors.affiliation: 2 Dorchester Court, Blenheim Road, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 2JT, UK.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environment, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Road, Aberdeen AB24 3UF, UK; Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Road, Aberdeen AB24 3UF, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D001901:Botany; D003020:Clothing; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D044707:Forensic Sciences; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010944:Plants; D011058:Pollen; D011902:Rape; D012775:Shoes; D013170:Spores / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Fungi; Plants; Pollen; Profile; Soil; Spores