Brown renews commitment to DNA database

And defends decision to retain DNA of people released without charge

Brown claimed DNA technology had been crucial in bringing criminals to justice

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has renewed his commitment to the National Police DNA Database in a major speech promising to put new measures against anti-social behaviour at the heart of his General Election campaign.

He also defended the explosion in CCTV networks and the systems used to control them.

Brown claimed DNA technology had been crucial in bringing criminals to justice with 832 positive matches to records in the database in cases of rape, murder and manslaughter.

He said: "Some argue that liberty dictates we should immediately wipe everyone who has been arrested but not convicted of an offence from the DNA database.

"But if we did this, some sickening crimes would have gone unsolved, and many dangerous criminals would have remained at large."

He gave the example of a wheelchair-bound rape victim attacked by a man who tricked his way into her home in 1991 and left a DNA sample.

No suspect was found at the time, but in 2007 a police "cold case" team reinvestigated and a match was made with a man arrested in 2005 on a public order offence - he had not been convicted.

The man, Jeremiah Sheridan, was traced to Australia and eventually sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison.

the Prime Minister gave no explanation as to why police failed to carry out a proper trawl in 2005 when a sample was taken from Sheridan that would have linked him to the crime.

Brown added: "The next time you hear somebody question the profiles from those who have been arrested but not convicted, remember Jeremiah Sheridan and the innocent woman he attacked."

He insisted CCTV reduces the fear of crime and said this justified government funding for 700 town-centre schemes.