What we find is that these 'illegal' comparison tests, involving bullets, and spent cartridge cases, occurred on the 12th, 13th, 18th, and 19th September 1985 - too soon unfortunately for these to have been carried out lawfully and correctly!! Why I hear you ask, was this an illegal exercise?
Well, Lab' didn't officially receive the batch of crime scene ammunition (bullets and cases) until 20th September 1985! How then could comparison tests of the same have been completed beforehand?
Whoooops!!
What a coincidence, that these 'unofficial' comparison tests were carried out when they were ( prior to the ballistic expert, Malcom Fletcher, receiving the batch of crime scene ammunition used in the shootings, consisting of 25 bullet, part bullet, or bullet fragments, 25 spent cartridge cases, and 29 control rounds, which he test fired on 20th, 25th September, and 2nd October 1985, and carried out official comparison tests, on those dates of the remaining crime scene bullets, and spent cartridge cases)...
The problem for Fletcher, is that his signature appears on all the 'General Examination Records' , where comparison tests were carried out on 12th, 13th, 18th and 19th September, 1985! Thus he is linked to the official comparison tests carried out on and after 20th September 1985, and linked to the unofficial comparison tests carried out prior to 20th September 1985!
When interviewed by COLP regarding the test firing of the anshuzt rifle (DRH/15), with control ammunition (DRH/42) he stated that he had received the batch of crime scene ammunition on 20th September 1985, and that he then proceeded to test fire the rifle with the batch of control ammunition, firing shots through the rifle with a silencer fitted, and without a silencer fitted! COLP established that Fletcher had only used 27 of the 29 control rounds, and after pointing this discrepancy out to him, Fletcher then offered the excuse that these two missing control rounds must have either been lost, or discarded!
Well, in order for the other 'unofficial test firing' to have taken place, there would have needed to have been an unofficial test fire of the rifle and two control rounds which took place prior to Fletcher receiving them officially on 20th September, 1985! Therefore, Fletcher has lied about his involvement with the full compliment of crime scene ammunition, consisting of 25 bullets, part bullets, and fragmented pieces of bullet, and 25 spent cartridge cases, along with 29 control rounds! He is tied to the unofficial test firing and the unofficial comparison tests which were conducted on 12th, 13th, 18th and 19th September 1985, and the official test firing of the rifle, and the official comparison tests of crime scene bullets, part bullets, and fragments of bullets, spent cartridge cases, and 27 control rounds, on and after' the 20th September 1985 (20th, 25th September, and 2nd October 1985)!
As I say, and I agree with Ewen Smiths view that Fletcher was a dodgy expert!
He was dodgy alright!
How do I know he is dodgy?
It's simple really...
