White House Farm murders: Scientist claims police moved a body before official snaps were taken

A leading forensic scientist last night added to doubts over the conviction of Jeremy Bamber in the notorious White House Farm murders, claiming that Essex Police altered the crime scene.

Philip Boyce, who has 30 years’ experience carrying out high-profile investigations, claims the force ‘changed the evidence’ in the case.

Bamber is serving a whole-life tariff for the murders of his adoptive parents Nevill and June Bamber, both 61, his adoptive sister Sheila Caffell, 28, and her six-year-old twins, Daniel and Nicholas. All were shot at the Essex farmhouse on August 7, 1985.

Bamber has always said he is innocent and that Sheila, a paranoid schizophrenic, carried out the murders before shooting herself.

Now Mr Boyce says new scientific tests reveal that police could have moved one of the bodies before their official photographs were taken at the scene. 

Jeremy Bamber (pictured) was found guilty of murdering his adoptive parents, sister and her twins White House Farm in Essex on August 7, 1985

Leading forensic scientist Philip Boyce has now added further doubt to Bamber’s conviction claiming Essex Police moved one of the dead bodies before taking official photographs 

Bamber has always said he is innocent and that Sheila (pictured), a paranoid schizophrenic, carried out the murders before shooting herself

In these pictures, shown to the trial jury at Chelmsford Crown Court in 1986, Nevill Bamber is seen slumped over an overturned chair in the kitchen, having been shot.

Essex Police and the trial judge in his summing up said three burn marks on his back had been inflicted by the hot end of a rifle, suggesting Jeremy Bamber had tortured his family.

But the tests led Mr Boyce to conclude that the body was left lying against an Aga after the shooting and its handles caused the burns.

His report, which has been submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, states: ‘This could indicate that Nevill Bamber’s body had been moved somehow to the position he was photographed in after he was burned by the Aga. 

Bamber killed his adoptive parents Nevill and June, both 61, along with Shelia and her six-year-old twins Daniel and Nicholas  

‘The photographs of his body shown to the jury… may have been misleading.’

The tests were filmed by documentary-maker Matt Harris, who said one photo also reveals another key detail. 

‘The kitchen door is closed, with two chairs placed in front of it,’ he said. 

‘This is the only door leading into the kitchen from outside, and this is where Essex Police entered… [they] were the only people who went into White House Farm that day and could have closed that door and placed those chairs in that way.’

Speaking last night from HMP Wakefield, Bamber said: ‘To restage the crime scene is a moral sin. 

These things should have been explored 37 years ago. It’s not a case of me proving or getting out on a technicality. I would like to prove my innocence through facts.’