Helen Roebuck - CV
Helen Roebuck is a forensic biologist with jurisdictional experience spanning more than 20 years and countless indictable matters, having borne witness to the formative years of DNA evidence and the gamut of developmental milestones that have followed since.
“The relationship between science and the courts is challenging, fascinating, and at times fraught. DNA evidence has evolved at an exceptional pace, being now able to contribute to the courts in ways that were inconceivable merely decades ago. It is incumbent upon science to contribute to the justice system, whilst also restraining itself appropriately, so that its contribution is sound, reliable and probative.”
Personal Details
| Name | Helen Roebuck |
| Address | PO Box 390, Sydney, NSW 2001 |
| Contact No. | 0431 954 694 |
| helen@roebuckforensics.com.au |
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Forensic biologist with over twenty years’ experience in an operational forensic setting, handling and reporting in excess of 1,000 matters. Dedicated expert witness providing testimony in matters including homicide, serious assault, sexual assault and volume crime.
Offers expertise in, and undertakes annual proficiency testing in:
- Biological fluid detection and confirmation
- Bloodstain pattern analysis
- DNA analysis and interpretation
- STRmixTM statistical evaluations of DNA evidence
Accepted as an expert and given evidence in the following courts:
- NSW State Coroner’s Court
- NSW Local Court
- NSW District Court
- NSW Supreme Court
- NSW Supreme Court of Appeal
- NSW Coroners Court
- Victoria Supreme Court
- Victoria Supreme Court of Appeal
- Queensland Supreme Court
- South Australia District Court
- South Australia Supreme Court
- Tasmania District Court
- United Kingdom Magistrates Court
- United Kingdom Crown Court
Education
| 2000 | Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biomedical Science at University of Northumbria at Newcastle (UK) |
| Ongoing | Currently undertaking a PhD Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney |
- Evans V The Queen [2023] – Supreme Court of Appeal NSW
- R v Smith [2022] – District Court Qld
- R v Granaghan [2022] – Crown Court of Northern Ireland
- R v Heeley [2022] - Vic
- Mang v The Queen [2022] – Supreme Court of Appeal Vic
- R v Mooney [2022] – District Court NSW
- R v O’Meara [2022] – District Court TAS
- R v Smith [2021] – District Court Qld
- R v Tsakirios [2021] – District Court NSW
- R v Lukaj [2021] District Court SA
- R v Chol [2021] Vic
- R v Perre [2021] – Supreme Court SA 420
- R v Chee [2021] – Supreme Court VIC
- R v Dukagjini [2021] – Supreme Court NSW
- R v O’Keefe [2021] – Supreme Court Qld
- R v Beattie [2020] – Supreme Court of Victoria
- R v Byrne [2020] – Supreme Court of Appeal NSW
- R v Kabbout [2020] – District Court NSW
- R v Castro Santafe [2020] – District Court NSW
- Rv Ke [2019] – District court NSW
- R v TAL [2019] – Supreme Court Qld
- Hassan V R [2018] – Supreme Court of Appeal NSW
- JH v R [2017] – Supreme Court of Appeal NSW
- R V Lowe [2016] – Supreme Court South Australia
ACADEMIA
| 2014 to Date | Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney Industry Fellow |
EXPERIENCE
| Aug 2023 to current | Roebuck Forensics Principal Forensic Scientist |
| Jan 2012 to Aug 2023 | Independent Forensic Services Principal Forensic Scientist |
| June 2009 to Jan 2012 | Senior Reporting Officer NSW Police Force Forensic Services Group |
| March 2009 to May 2012 | Division of Analytical Laboratories Senior Forensic Biology Reporting Officer |
| Feb 2001 to Jan 2009 | Forensic Science Service, United Kingdom Forensic Biology Reporting Officer |
TRAINING COURSES UNDERTAKEN
- 25th International Symposium on Forensic Science ‘Forensics: Designing the future’. (ANZFSS – Brisbane 2022)
- ISHI Workshop: Applying a Casework Assessment and Interpretation Approach to Probabilistic Genotyping Results. (Online November 2022)
- 25th International Symposium on Forensic Science ‘Forensics: Designing the future’. (ANZFSS – Brisbane September 2022)
- ISFG Workshop: Evaluative reporting for contact traces/activity level reporting (online August 2021)
- 31st International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI) (online, Sept 2020)
- Arguing the case for DNA evidence based on probabilistic genotyping:(workshop ISHI online, Sept 2020)
- Validation Principles, practices, parameters, performance evaluations and protocols (workshop ISHI online, Sept 2020)
- 23rd International Symposium on the Forensic Science “Together Informing Justice” (ANZFSS – Auckland Sept 2016)
- STRmixTM User Training (Auckland 2016)
- 22nd International Symposium on the Forensic Sciences “Detect: Decipher: Deliver: The future of Evidence” (ANZFSS – Adelaide 2014)
- 25th Congress of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (Melbourne 2013)
- Effective Forensic Science: Are we using our Experts Effectively? (AAFS symposium - Sydney 2013)
PRESENTATIONS TO LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Queensland Law Society Criminal Law Conference
August 2023
Northern Territory Law Society Criminal Lawyers
March 2023
Australian Defence Lawyers Association Conference
March 2022
Victorian Bar Continuing Professional Development
May 2020
Victoria Legal Aid Criminal Lawyers
2019
Papua New Guinea Lawyers Legal Training Workshop
January 2019
Queensland Law Society Criminal law DNA masterclass
May 2018
University of Wollongong LLM Expert Evidence Training
July 2017
South Australia Law society
August 2016
Queensland Law Society Criminal Law Conference
September 2016
NSW Legal Aid criminal law conference
April 2015
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS), professional member
- International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG)
- International Association of Blood Pattern Analysts
- Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences
OTHER
- NSW Justice of the Peace
