Qualifications
BA (Hons) Physiological Sciences (1981) Keble College, Oxford University
MSc Forensic Science (1982) University of Strathclyde
Registered Forensic Practitioner (2001)

Career Details
Recruited to the Home Office Forensic Science Service as a Document Examiner (Scientific Officer) in 1983, Mike resigned in 1992 (Senior Scientific Officer) to establish Document Evidence Ltd, together with six other colleagues.

During the course of his career he has examined thousands of cases involving tens of thousands of documents. All aspects of Forensic Document Examination including handwriting, signatures, typescript, photocopies, counterfeiting, paper, ink and alterations are routinely part of his job.

He has given evidence in court on over 200 occasions. The vast majority of these have been in the Crown and Magistrates' courts in criminal proceedings. He has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court (The Old Bailey), the Royal Courts of Justice and at various appeals. He gave evidence in the trial of Dr. Harold Shipman and in a number of murder trials, major frauds and so on.

Michael is currently studying part-time for a PhD at Staffordshire University on the subject of the developmental aspects of handwriting acquisition.

He has been involved with the recruitment and training of scientists for Document Evidence and regularly assesses their work. Also, he has run short training programmes for overseas Document Examiners.

Publications

  • Dot-matrix printers. Allen, M. J. (1987) Forensic Science International 35: 283-295.
  • The dating of a will. Allen, M. J. and Rimmer, P. A. (1988) Journal of the Forensic Science Society 28(3): 199-203.
  • The distribution of damage defects among characters of printwheel typing elements. Allen, M. J. and Hardcastle, R. A. (1990) Forensic Science International 47: 249-259.
  • A classification scheme for Courier typestyles. Allen, M. J. and Hardcastle, R. A. (1990) Journal of the Forensic Science Society 30(3): 137-142.
  • Using ESDA to sequence highlighter ink and impressions. Allen, M. J. (1997) International Journal of Forensic Document Examiners 3(1): 49-51.

    • Current Position
    Director of Document Evidence Ltd.

    Other Details

  • Member of the Forensic Science Society
  • Former Lead Assessor for Questioned Documents on the Science Section Assessment Panel of the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP)
  • Member of CRFP's Executive Board
  • External lecturer on forensic document examination at several UK universities
  • Co-supervisor of PhD student

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