A BOGUS forensic scientist who conned his way into hundreds of trials has been convicted of a catalogue of serious sexual offences, it can be reported.

Sexual predator Gene Morrison, 51, from Hyde, targeted vulnerable young girls to satisfy his perverted fantasies, including the rapes of two girls aged 10 and 11.

His four victims came forward after he was given a five-year jail sentence in February 2007 for posing in courtrooms as an expert investigator.

Morrison tricked judges, barristers, solicitors and police into believing he was qualified in forensics, but he left school with no qualifications and downloaded sham degrees from a fictitious US university.

The judge who jailed him in 2007 branded Morrison an "inveterate and compulsive liar".

A jury deliberating over the sexual allegations against Morrison, better known as Rocky in his home town, was not told of his past as a fake expert witness.

But they saw through his lies during a four-week trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Convicted

In 2007, Morrison was convicted of perjury, perverting the course of justice and obtaining money by deception.

He set up the bogus Criminal & Forensic Investigations Bureau and worked from an office near his home in Hyde.

He placed adverts in the Solicitors Journal and began hiring genuine forensic scientists to carry out handwriting and fingerprint analysis which he would claim as his own. He then charged clients twice the true price.

Who else has been sent to prison in Manchester this month? Sentences and picture gallery

Later he cut and pasted old reports together and changed details claiming the analysis was new.

Morrison was hired by legal firms, insurance companies, private businesses and individuals to carry out original work and examine other expert reports.

Solicitors' firms hired him to work on the defence of their clients - paid for by the taxpayer.

The defendant gave evidence in cases involving armed robbery, rape, death by dangerous driving, unexplained deaths and drug offences.

Greater Manchester Police referred a number of the cases to the Attorney General's office to assess if any miscarriages of justice had taken place as a result of his so-called expert evidence.

Morrison had completed his jail term in August but was on remand in custody throughout the present trial. He now faces another lengthy spell behind bars.

From the M.E.N archives:

 Gene Morrison: Police interview transcript

How did Morrison fool everyone?

'Bogus forensic expert bought degree on web'

Charades reduced jury to tears of laughter

Bogus 'expert' guilty of courts con