David Wilson’s Crime Files returns to screens

David Wilson

In this series, Professor Wilson, one of the UK’s leading criminologists, is focusing primarily on Scotland’s numerous cold cases and in the opening episode he and his guests dissect the importance forensics and scientific advancements play in solving decades-old mysteries.

He travels to Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, to tell the story of Jean Milne, a wealthy spinster who was found murdered in her family mansion. The twist is that the house was found to be locked up tight and one of her last sightings was with a mysterious German Gentleman.

He meets with Professor Niamh Nic Daéid from Dundee University. She and her colleagues were commissioned to re-examine the 1912 Jean Milne case through a modern forensic perspective. Niamh talks David through their re-investigation and the ways in which forensic science has progressed.

In this series Professor Wilson is also joined in the studio by forensic scientist Helen Meadows who dissects Jean’s case and also examines the murder of Mary McLaughlin – a crime that was solved almost 40 years after the fact, thanks to advancements in forensic analysis.

Professor Wilson’s final guest is Joanne Cochrane who is part of a team that has worked with a new form of DNA analysis that could revolutionise solving a number of cold cases. Joanne breaks down the complexity of Mary McLaughlin’s case, how DNA 24 works and why modern advancements in DNA are helping many cold cases to be solved.

Crime Files will be broadcast on BBC Scotland, 11 October, 10.00 – 10.30 pm.