Police to retain DNA records of cleared suspects | The Register: "John Leyden
Police will be able to keep DNA and fingerprint records of innocent people on file indefinitely following a landmark legal ruling yesterday.
The House of Lords, the highest court in England and Wales, upheld earlier rulings by the High Court and Court of Appeal against two people who wanted their records destroyed by South Yorkshire Police after separate criminal investigations against them were dropped. Five law lords unanimously ruled that the need to solve crimes outweighed civil liberties concerns.
The law was changed in 2001 to allow police to keep samples from suspects for use in 'crime prevention or investigation'."
