DNA downfall for Toowoomba man 10 years after the crime
A TOOWOOMBA man has been fingered for a crime committed 10 years ago through DNA from blood left at the scene.
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THE accuracy of DNA evidence has proved the downfall of a Toowoomba man convicted of a crime of some 10 years ago that he couldn't even remember committing.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Al Windsor told Toowoomba Magistrates Court a person or persons unknown at the time had entered the grounds of the Darling Heights State School sometime between September 17 and September 21, 2009, and damaged a door.
The glass pane on the wheelchair access door had been smashed and blood had been left at the scene.
Police forensic investigators collected samples of blood from the scene which was in May this year DNA matched to Toowoomba man Kyle Kingsley Lord.
Spoken to by police on July 24, the now 28-year-old said he couldn't remember ever being at the school but when told of the DNA match from blood at the scene told officers he could have been drunk at the time.
Lord pleaded guilty to a charge of wilful damage of property that is part of a school.
Sgt Windsor said he had no instructions to seek compensation for the damaged door.
Duty lawyer Sarah MacDonald said her client was just 18 at the time of the offence and that he instructed he had been drinking a fair bit of alcohol back then.
Although her client had committed some offences since then, at the time of this matter he only had one public nuisance offence on his criminal history, she said.
Her client had another wilful damage offence around the same time for which he was given community service and had he been sentenced for this matter at that time he may not have received any further punishment, Ms MacDonald submitted.
Her client had since had five children and was working as a concreter.
Magistrate Graham Lee ordered no conviction be recorded and fined Lord $400.
Originally published as DNA downfall for Toowoomba man 10 years after the crime
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