Interviewee: Alec Jeffreys. Alec Jeffreys talks about the resolution of the Ghana case. (DNAi Location: Applications > Human identification > Family > A positive result)

So I was actually down at the Immigration Tribunal ready to defend our, our evidence and, but basically the panel came to the view, yes, let the boy in. So I was actually there when the mother was told. Now let me put this in context, this woman had been fighting this case, the mother, been fighting the case for two years. It had actually cost her health quite dearly, it was an anguishing time for her. So I was there when she was told we've got the DNA evidence, it's been accepted, your boy's coming back, he's permanently with you. And it was, the look in that lady's eyes was magic, and in fact I think of all various moments in the DNA fingerprinting story that has to be my favorite moment because here was, here was DNA actually reaching out and directly touching on people's lives in a very positive way. Here's this poor woman, been trapped in this terrible dispute for two years, and then along comes DNA and it could help her, and take her by the hand and get her back, and her family back together again, absolutely fantastic. And at that point I was, I have to say I was really proud and was nearly in tears, it was just a wonderful, and this was really, I mean the first time DNA had ever done this, it was the first time that DNA, all this modern arcane science of molecular genetics, had actually been used to go out in a non-clinical context and actually directly help someone. And that was fantastic. So a very, very proud moment for me.

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