Evidence in Chief

Question 1

State your full name and role within the Police?

Answer 1

My full name is AIdan Kingsley Achten, and I work as an Assistant Fingerprint Officer in the South Island Forensic Fingerprint Section.

Question 2

Describe for the Court your prescribed duties?

Answer 2

My duties include the examination of crime scenes and exhibits in order to locate and preserve fingerprints, as well as other types of forensic evidence, such as DNA.

Question 3

What qualifications do you have that allow you to carry out these duties?

Answer 3

My qualifications include a Diploma in Forensic Science received from the University of Otago, as well as a Diploma in Fingerprint Science received from the Royal NZ Police College. I have also completed a Crime Scene Foundation Course run by the Royal NZ Police College.

Question 4

You say the you are an ‘Assistant Fingerprint Officer’ - how does this differ to a ‘Fingerprint Officer’?

Answer 4

The title of ‘Assistant Fingerprint Officer’ is given to those who are still completing the 5-year training programme to become a qualified Fingerprint Officer.

The key difference between myself and a qualified Fingerprint Officer is that I cannot provide testimony as to the identity of fingerprints; however, I can provide testimony as to how I may have located, developed and preserved fingerprints at a crime scene or in the Fingerprint Lab.

Question 5

Explain the examinations you carried out for the current case?

Answer 5

Between 4th August 2021, and 16th of June 2022, several groups of exhibits in connection with Police file number 210222/0571 were brought to the Christchurch Forensic Lab for examination.

As a result of my examinations, I located and photographed fingerprints on multiple exhibits, and saved the fingerprint images on the NZ Police computer network. I then forwarded the job to the Fingerprint Section for further examination.

To assist the court, I have prepared a photograph booklet showing the location of all fingerprints, which I would like to produce as an exhibit, and

I would also like to produce a schedule, listing all fingerprint images and the items they were preserved from.