In 1981 and 1982 line managers at Chorley forensic science laboratory referred to a deterioration in the performance of Skuse and in January 1983 he was removed from reporting cases to court . In October 1985 a World in Action documentary '' In The Interests of Justice '' concluded the real Birmingham pub bombers had gone free . Days after the TV programme , the Home Office retired Skuse , aged 51 , from the Civil Service on the grounds of " limited effectiveness " . Throughout the following year 350 of Skuse 's cases , dating back to 1966 , were re-examined by the Laboratory Director . On 1 December 1986 , another " World in Action " documentary : '' A Surprise Witness '' made public the doubts about Skuse 's methods . Skuse was subsequently portrayed by actor David Ryall in the 1990 docudrama '' Who Bombed Birmingham ? '' In 1991 The Court of Appeal stated that the Griess test should only be used as a gateway or preliminary test and that : '' Dr Skuse 's conclusion was wrong , and demonstrably wrong , judged even by the state of forensic science in 1974 . '' Caustic soda is used to break down the molecule of nitroglycerine to produce nitrite ions . The concentration is crucial to the test . If Skuse had used a dilute solution as he claimed , the test would react positive only on hands '' dripping with nitroglycerine '' , which was '' an absurdity . '' A stronger solution would react positive to any number of chemicals . Contaminants suggested included laboratory detergents used to wash the test containers and some soaps , as well as the nitrocellulose polymer used on playing cards
Birmingham pub bombers
Birmingham pub bombings
Frank Skuse