JUDITH MOWATT, director at the Government Forensic Science Laboratory, said yesterday that a senior British police officer told her that the Forensic Science Service in London did not have sufficient samples from Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer to conduct a thorough investigation.

Ms. Mowatt was one of two witnesses to take the stand on the 16th day of testimony in the coroner's inquest into the 58-year-old Woolmer's death.

Received an email

Questioned by Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry, Ms. Mowatt said she received an email on April 20 from Joe Marchesi, a crime scene manager at the Metropolitan Police in London.

In it, he said forensic scientist John Slaughter of the Forensic Science Service in London said the samples sent to his office were insufficient.

"He said there were concerns about the amount of samples available for them to work with. He indicated that there was enough stomach content but in regard to urine, blood and straw-coloured liquid there was not enough for a tox-screen," Ms. Mowatt said.

Slaughter testified on October 31 that on May 10 he analysed a sample of blood taken from Woolmer, for the pesticide cypermethrin. He said he saw none.

Ms. Mowatt said she had no discussion with Slaughter about inadequate samples. "I cannot recall that," she said.

Tests done at the Government Forensic Science Laboratory by Marcia Dunbar found cypermethrin in a sample of blood taken from Woolmer. The pesticide was also found in his stomach samples, as well as a straw-coloured liquid taken from his hotel room, in tests done by toxicologist Patrick Best at the Barbados Forensic Centre in Bridgetown.

Slaughter said contamination at the Jamaican lab may have caused the disparity in results.

Karl Angell, communications officer for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, also testified yesterday at the Jamaica Conference Centre.