We are not big on national pride, believing it to be the cause of much evil in the world. National pride is nothing other than personal pride writ large. And the proverb tells us that the Lord hates and abominates haughty eyes (Proverbs 6:16-17).
But sometimes things are done in this small country which make us thankful, wanting to acknowledge special achievements. This time, the accolades go to Environmental Science and Research ("ESR") and, in particular, scientist Catherine McGovern and her team. Now we are aware that ESR operates at times under severe budget constraints, and that its dedicated staff are called out all hours to crime scenes--usually the most horrific--to investigate and gather evidence.
It turns out that McGovern and the ESR has helped secure a conviction in a very cold case in Australia. The NZ Herald has the account:
DNA
evidence provided by Catherine McGovern from Environmental Science and
Research helped convict serial sex offender Brett Peter Cowan, 44, this
week for the murder 10 years ago of Queensland schoolboy Daniel
Morcombe.
Daniel Morcombe
McGovern's team matched DNA from the murdered 13-year-old's
toothbrush to a fragment of bone found during the search for his
remains. Cowan abducted Daniel from a Sunshine Coast bus stop.
Police
long suspected the sex offender but it took a confession during a
four-month undercover operation to get an arrest. Cowan believed he was
about to be part of a successful crime gang and confessed to the murder,
believing his associates would clean the crime scene. His associates
were all undercover police officers. Police used information Cowan provided to locate 17 bone fragments, Daniel's Globe skate shoes, and a pair of Bonds underpants. Cowan's defence argued he made up the confession to be part of the crime gang and suggested the bone fragment wasn't Daniel's.
But
McGovern told the court via video link from Auckland her testing found
the bone sample was 540 times more likely to have come from Daniel than
any other person in Queensland. McGovern explained Daniel's
toothbrush established a full DNA profile. That was then compared to a
humerus or arm bone search crews found. Other items were sent to New Zealand for testing, including the shoes found at the site.
ESR spokesman Stephen Corbett said New Zealand scientists were called about six times each year to help with Australian cases. "There
are a couple of DNA technologies we have that they don't. Our
experience is world class and we are taking it to the world at the
moment." Corbett said the case was terribly tragic but the scientists involved remained impartial dealing only with the facts of science. "In a case like this there is some satisfaction in an outcome being reached."
On
Thursday, after Cowan was found guilty, Queensland Assistant Police
Commissioner Michael Condon thanked the New Zealand scientists for their
part in securing the guilty verdicts.
The Scriptures declare that innocent blood shed cries out to God for vengeance from the very ground itself (Genesis 4:10). When murderers are apprehended, tried, convicted, and punished, their guilt, which otherwise lies upon the entire community, is assuaged. In this case, NZ's ESR made a significant contribution.
The ContraCelsum S-Award is given to Catherine McGovern and her ESR team for professional achievements which have proved:
Supportive to a dedicated team of undercover Queensland police Significant in proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Satisfying to the demands for justice.
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