Editing Colin Pitchfork (section)

==Arrest==
In 1985, Alec Jeffreys developed DNA profiling. He then used this to compare semen samples from the murders of Mann and Ashworth, confirming that they were from the same person and that that person was not the prime suspect Richard Buckland. As a result, the police began mass DNA testing, but were at first unable to find a match due to one of Pitchfork's friends posing as him during the testing. However, on August 1<sup>st</sup>, 1987, a woman overheard the friend talking about this and reported it to the police, resulting in Pitchfork's arrest. His DNA was then matched to the sample found at the crime scenes.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/killer-dna-evidence-genetic-profiling-criminal-investigation Killer breakthrough – the day DNA evidence first nailed a murderer], The Guardian</ref>

During his interrogation, Pitchfork confessed to over 1000 indecent exposures and sexual assaults.<ref>[https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2009/963.html R v Pitchfork], British and Irish Legal Information Institute</ref> He pleaded guilty to the rapes and murders of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, the sexual assault of another woman and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 30 years, later reduced to 28 years on appeal.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-36168459 No parole for Colin Pitchfork, first killer caught by DNA], BBC News</ref>