Call us on 0191 332 4999 or email kbc@keithborer.co.uk to discuss your requirements. We usually ask to see case papers in order to advise on what work can be done and to prepare an accurate estimate of costs.
Yes, we subscribe to the CJSM service and our email address is kbc@keithborer.co.uk.cjsm.net.
Yes, we routinely work with private individuals, not just lawyers. Rest assured, your enquiry will be treated in the strictest confidence. Irrespective of who instructs us, as experts with a duty to the court, we aim to offer an impartial service.
Yes, of course! We feel it is essential that you can discuss your instructions directly with an expert, clarify early on what can or can’t be done within the available funding and discuss the case and any new evidence as it progresses. Our casework logistics team will be able to update you regarding arrangements for site visits or examinations and when the report will be completed.
If you need to deliver an exhibit or urgent case papers, please telephone to make an appointment to visit the Durham or Huntingdon office.
KBC’s main office is in Durham. There is a satellite office in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire) and a number of scientists work remotely from locations around the UK.
Yes. We routinely work in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and are familiar with the court systems in each jurisdiction. We can also work further afield, for example in the British Overseas Territories.
There are different fee structures for Criminal, Civil and Privately funded work. Please contact us for up to date prices. Our work is usually billed on an hourly basis, with attendance at court charged on a daily or part-daily basis.
Yes. The latest Legal Aid rates (England and Wales) for experts can be found HERE.
Turnaround times depend on the type of work undertaken. The time we quote will be from the date Legal Aid or other funding is approved. For example, BAC calculation reports can usually be done within a matter of days, whereas the Digital Forensics team may require several weeks’ or months’ notice, depending on the complexity of the case and their other commitments. Please contact us for up to date information.
In privately funded cases, we ask for payment to be made before any work is carried out. We understand that solicitors in Legal Aid cases will submit their bill at the end of a case and payment will be made after that. Debt collection is the responsibility of the Accounts team based at Durham.
Yes, all staff are security cleared before commencing their employment with Keith Borer Consultants. Staff are also subject to Non-Police Vetting Level 3 during their employment.
KBC maintains a detailed computerised record of all items and exhibits held in our secure store. This includes details of when and where they were taken for examination. It can be produced for court purposes, to demonstrate continuity of evidence, should this be required. The store is audited regularly.
Please see the company’s Privacy Police HERE.
Yes. We often receive instructions from the police or Crown Prosecution Service. These can be unusual requests at the peculiar and sometimes difficult end of the spectrum, where lateral thinking and the design of specific testing are required. Such work is often outside of standard contracts which police forces have with their normal suppliers of forensic services. We are listed in the National Crime Agency Expert Advisers’ Database.
Yes, we regularly visit:
Yes. We are able to apply scientific method to unusual enquiries and devise rigorous testing, if necessary. If none of our experts are suitably qualified to deal with your instructions, we will help you try to find one who is.
No. We have in-house laboratories for some testing and a network of suppliers who can undertake testing on our behalf. All our suppliers are checked so we can be sure their work is of the highest quality.
Yes. At our laboratory in Durham we have the ability to examine exhibits for the presence of blood, semen and saliva and to recover samples for subsequent DNA profiling at our nominated testing laboratory. We can also recover DNA samples from items to determine who may have been in contact with them, so called ‘handler’ or ‘touch DNA samples.
Depending on the nature of the item it may be possible to test for both DNA and fingerprints. For example, the smooth surfaces of a knife handle may be suitable for fingerprint treatments while any grooves or hatched designs can be swabbed for DNA recovery. Alternatively, some items may be more suitable for DNA recovery than fingerprinting. At our Durham facility we have the ability to carry out a joint examination of an exhibit whereby a fingerprint expert and DNA expert examine the item together to determine what testing is most appropriate to address your particular question and achieve the best evidence in the case.
For non-criminal, private matters we can carry out testing of clothing, underwear etc, for the presence of semen. However, the Human Tissue Act 2004 precludes us from carrying out DNA profiling to determine the source of any semen detected. This is because where it is suspected that semen from another man may be present on a garment, we would not have the consent of that person to DNA profile their biological material.
The Forensic Science Regulator has set out Codes of Practice and Conduct relating to different areas of forensic evidence. The method of demonstrating compliance with the Codes for most of the scientific disciplines is through accreditation to ISO 17025, ISO 17020 or ISO 15189. Keith Borer Consultants is actively extending the scope of its accreditation to cover a broad spectrum of services. Click on the logo (in the website footer) to see our current accreditation.
In the first instance, please email your query to kbc@keithborer.co.uk.
The majority of our work is office-based, rather than laboratory-based, so there are limited opportunities for work experience or student placements. Please email your enquiry to kbc@keithborer.co.uk in the first instance and it will be considered.
If you are considering a career at Keith Borer Consultants and want to find out more about working
here, who better to hear it from than our current employees?
In general:
As scientists, working from home:
As scientists, office based:
As a casework logistics administrator: