Almost 5,000 'innocent' people's DNA profiles have been added to a national database by Greater Manchester Police since European courts ruled they should be removed.

The force has taken nearly 24,000 DNA profiles since the European Court of Human Rights ruling a year ago.

Of those, 4,981 ­ or 14 a day - were from 'innocent' people - who were either never charged or later acquitted.

The latest figures were obtained from written Parliamentary answers.

GMP has added a total of 284,628 samples to the database since it was first set up in 1995 and 51,921 of those samples were taken from people who were either not charged or acquitted.

The police practice of keeping DNA profiles indefinitely has come under fire from human rights groups.

Crucial

But police say it is a crucial weapon in solving major crime.

In December 2008, European courts ruled that keeping innocent people's DNA on a criminal register was a breach of the Human Rights Convention and they should be removed `within a proportionate period'.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was 'disappointed' but the government has now proposed DNA samples must be removed after six years if the person who provided it has not been convicted of a crime.

keep a couple of quotes from stunell Lib Dem Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell, who spoke out on the issue in August, has repeated his call for the government to remove the 'innocents'.

He said: “It is disgraceful that the government is blocking the removal of the DNA records of nearly 5,000 innocent people despite the courts ruling that the practice is illegal.

“In Britain, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but Labour seem determined to create a half-guilty class of people with their most intimate personal information held by the police for six years – even though they have done nothing wrong.

“DNA should be taken on arrest but destroyed if a person is not charged, or if they are acquitted.

“Despite the government’s promises to fully abide by the European Court’s ruling, they are still doing everything they can to avoid obeying it. Gordon Brown needs to learn the difference between innocence and guilt and learn it quickly.”

Vital

A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is crucial we do everything we can to prevent crime and bring offenders to justice. The DNA database plays a vital role in helping us do that, providing thousands of crime scene matches every year and helping put criminals behind bars.

“In response to the European Court ruling on hold DNA samples indefinitely, our proposals currently before Parliament for DNA retention would require the police to remove profiles from the database after six years if the person was not subsequently convicted.

“Under the exceptional case procedure, an individual can apply to their police force to have their DNA removed. This is decided by chief constables on a case by case basis.”

GMP's Forensic Services director Dr Peter Hall said: “GMP follows Home Office policy on obtaining and retaining DNA samples.

“We are aware of the ruling at the European Court of Human Rights and have recently responded to a government consultation document on the subject.

“Should there be any change in legislation we would clearly amend our procedures accordingly.”