The collapse last month of a multi-million pound fraud trial, because the prosecution’s expert was found to have no relevant qualifications or expertise, once again highlights the importance of undertaking proper due diligence on individuals, be it an expert witness or an employee..
Andrew Ager had been hired by the prosecution team in a trial of eight men accused of a £7m carbon credit fraud at Southwark Crown Court. But the judge was alerted to the fact that Mr Ager did not have any relevant qualifications, and ruled the men should be cleared. He said “Andrew Ager is not an expert of suitable calibre. He had little or no understanding of the duties of an expert. He had received no training and attended no courses. He has no academic qualifications. His work has never been peer-reviewed.”
In this article, Andrew Durant shares his insights on what organisations can do to undertake proper forensic due diligence.