NTU forensic science students are helping to crack cases that have puzzled police for decades

Forensic science students at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) are to help solve cold cases which have been puzzling police for decades. 

NTU and Staffordshire University have teamed up to create the Midlands Collaborative Cold Case Unit in partnership with Locate International, a charity providing specialist services in long-term missing and unidentified remains investigations.

Locate International actively works on investigations going back decades, deploying teams of trained, community volunteers and university students to support police forces in the review and investigation of unsolved cases. 

The new partnership will see students from the two universities examining every little detail from the case files to see if they can shed any new light on investigations.

This could include reviewing witness statements, police interviews and other evidence to try to build new lines of enquiry – and considering whether there are any new forensic techniques or methods which might help.

As well as the potential societal impact and helping to bring families some closure, the aim is to support students’ personal and professional development and build their graduate employability potential.

The universities have recruited 26 forensic science and forensic investigation undergraduate students to support the project initially and the aim is to grow this number over time.

Dr Rachel Bolton-King, forensic science courses manager in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology, and co-director of the new cold case unit, said: “There are sadly many missing people and cases of unidentified remains in the UK and the hope is that by taking a fresh look at case files we can help shed light on new information which may lead to a new line of enquiry.

“Students will be helping to gather intelligence, looking over potentially thousands of documents and considering the emergence of new skills and techniques in forensic science in the hope of finding something which could help relatives and friends find some kind of closure.”