Latest News

Forthcoming Conference

Conference: First International Conference on the language of terrorists and terrorism in the 21st Century (Acronym: LTT21C)

16th May 2008

Guilty convictions in bicycle murder case

The Forensic Linguistics Institute was asked to analyse mobile phone text messages after a man cycling home from work had been murdered. The four teenage suspects had texted each other regarding the incident and we were asked to reconstruct the mobile phone conversation. This reconstruction placed the perpetrators at the scene of the crime shortly after the attack. The accused were Darryll Bennett, Nicholas Garland, Shane Liddy and Richard McNamara. All were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

19th March 2008

Coroner rules unlawful killing and suicide

The Forensic Linguistics Institute was asked by Bedfordshire Police to analyse an alleged suicide note regarding the death of Mrs Sandra Weddell. Our analysis indicated that the probable author was Mr Garry Weddell, a London Metropolitan Police Inspector. Mr Weddell was allowed bail and some time later his mother in law was found dead through shotgun wounds. Mr Weddell himself was found dead at a nearby gun club, also of gunshot wounds. The coroner ruled that Mrs Sandra Weddell and her mother-in-law had been unlawfully killed and that Mr Weddell had committed suicide.

3rd March 2008

'Laughing Burglars': Youths identified by their voices

Two youths who burgled a house and stole the owners' mobile phones and car received an unexpected phone call while driving home after the crime. Thinking they were talking to the owner of the house they were extremely abusive and threatening. In fact, they were talking to police officers who were recording their voices. The voice tapes were analysed by the Forensic Linguistics Institute and the perpetrators were identified. Admitting to the charge, the two males were sentenced to three years in prison by Judge John Rogers, QC, at Mold Crown Court, North Wales.