article_snippet.sent: The Trust's deputy medical director, Nick Massey, said: 'In 1999, a member of our pathology staff agreed to provide an opinion on one particular organ at the request of the police. '
article_snippet.sent: our kept the specimens prepared for microscopic examination but our were obliged by new guidelines to dispose of the remainder of the tissue. '
article_snippet.sent: This was ten years after the opinion had been given.
article_snippet.sent: This was carried out in a respectful manner and in line with the best practise guidelines of the Human Tissue Authority. '
article_snippet.sent: Subsequently our were contacted by the police in 2012 to whom our then returned the examination specimens that had been retained.'
article_snippet.sent: Suffolk Police said: 'In 2010, all police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were tasked with conducting an audit of any human tissue samples which had been retained as part of criminal investigations that had since been concluded. '
article_snippet.sent: ACPO guidance now tells police to keep samples for be up to five years or until criminals are released from prison.