A MAN who made up the results of more than 100 DNA paternity tests has been jailed for three years.

Simon Mullane of Mayfield Avenue, Penn Hill, Poole, charged his unsuspecting victims up to £660 for a service to tell them whether or not they were parents.

The 39-year-old had been running internet company High Profile DNA, known also as Easy DNA, legitimately until a period between May 2002 and July 2002 when he fabricated the results for 118 paternity tests, making £22,595 from the faked results.

It was only after one woman questioned the results of a test directly with a doctor in a Canadian laboratory that Mullane was found out.

Mullane's actions have been described as "heartless, cruel, despicable and reprehensible" by DI Tony Cox from Bournemouth CID, who led the investigation.

Yesterday, at Bournemouth Crown Court, married father-of-one Mullane was sentenced to three years' prison after previously pleading guilty to 16 specimen charges of theft and asking for a further 102 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Roger Hall, prosecuting, told the court that Mullane, former deputy chairman of Poole Conservative Club, operated High Profile DNA by inviting clients to pay £150 for a DIY kit where swabs of DNA could be collected and sent back to him.

The samples were then posted to one of two laboratories in America and Canada for testing before reports were sent to the clients.

But, inundated with requests in May 2002, Mullane guessed the results of 118 tests himself and, using the same doctor's report for 28 different clients, just changed the names on the form.

Mr Hall read out some details from Mullane's victims who spoke of how "relationships had been damaged" and "hearts broken" by the false outcomes.

The court was also told one child born in France has a man named on his birth certificate who is not his biological father. Under French law the birth certificate cannot be changed until the boy is 18.

Antonia Jamieson, mitigating, said Mullane was running a number of businesses in the UK and abroad, working between 60 and 80 hours a week and experiencing emotional problems. A close friend and business partner was suffering from cancer, his wife had to undergo an emergency Caesarean section and both his mother and father-in-law were battling cancer.

She said: "He's aware the circumstances were purely self-inflicted. He never asked for help. He knows now that was his downfall."

Miss Jamieson added: "He feels utterly sickened by what he's done and by the profound effect it has had on the victims and their families."

Miss Jamieson said that since the case has come to court Mullane has received numerous phone calls from former clients and has refunded £30,000 in costs.

She added that in the three-and-a-half years High Profile DNA was in operation the company dealt with in excess of 8,000 tests and Mullane was allowed to continue the DNA testing after police had searched his premises.

Yesterday during sentencing, Judge Lester Boothman said the matter of compensation would be discussed at a future hearing.

He ordered Mullane to pay £650 in prosecution costs.

Outside court DI Cox described the sentence as "fair".

He added: "Mr Mullane preyed on decent people's genuine worries and their very human need to know whether they were or were not the father of a child."

Customers urged to recover their losses

CUSTOMERS of High Profile DNA who never received their results may be entitled to recover the cost of their tests.

Borough of Poole's consumer protection service is investigating the case after receiving 130 enquiries from anxious customers and may be taking action under the Enterprise Act 2002.

But council officers are urging anyone who paid by credit card to contact their credit card company which may be jointly liable for any breach of contract due to the failure of High Profile to provide the services advertised.

Customers who paid by other means may be able to recover their losses through the civil courts from the business.

Peter Pawlowski, head of Consumer Protection Services for the Borough of Poole, said: "I am pleased that the police investigation has led to an admission of guilt."

For advice call Trading Standards on 01202 261700. See Saturday's Echo for the background to the case

First published: Sept 25