Document examination & Handwriting Experts here to help

Kathryn Thorndycraft-Pope Handwriting and Signature Authenticity

Kathryn Thorndycraft-Pope has been working

within handwriting forensics for twentyfive years, initially with the Grampian Police Force and, in the last Eighteen years, as an Independent Forensic Document Examiner from her office in Aberdeenshire.

As a trusted expert, the majority of cases that Kathryn receives instructions on include questioned signatures on Will disputes, leases & contracts, multiple/second mortgage applications, guarantees etc. This year, Kathryn has provided reports for drink-driving offences whereby the accused denies that their signature is on the form (i.e. not agreeing to the blood test). She has also worked on several handwriting cases in the past focused on the letters involved in attempted murders.

A Forensic Handwriting/Document Expert becomes involved when the authenticity of a document is in question.

For instance, when a Criminal Defence Lawyer or Lawyer specialising in family problems has a divorce case to deal where a loan has been taken out with the joint property as security or sometimes a second mortgage. One party knows nothing about this but the other partner has simulated their signature to secure the money. The expert will then have to prove whether or not one of the signatures has been simulated or if in fact, are genuine signatures which appear on the agreement.

This example is a common occurrence in Kathryn's work.

Discussing her role, Kathryn explained: “I need, whenever possible to examine the original documents but often only a photocopy is available, which I can use as 'best evidence' but does affect my conclusion. I have to meet up with the clients and obtain their formal handwriting samples and also a quantity of 'known' everyday signatures as found on passports, driving licences, store/ credit/debit cards etc.”

This enables Kathryn to establish a persons 'natural variation' as no one can write exactly the same each time they write. Kathryn will then draw out and note all the formations, heights, widths, layout, slope, use of punctuation and even items such as the crossing of 't' dotting of 'i' of the 'questioned' and the 'known' writings - comparing them to establish whether or not they are genuine or a possible simulation.

If the possibility of simulation is evident and there are key signs such as tremor, hesitation and tracing; Kathryn will take photographs of the evidence and prepare a Forensic Science Report and if appropriate, an Illustration describing her findings for use in Court or during industrial tribunals.

Case Examples

Case examples:

The consequences of expert witness casework often involves a case going to Court and, depending on the severity or amount of the actual fraud, could be punishable through Community Service, a large fine or up to 25 years imprisonment.

A large case Kathryn was involved with in the last year involved Car Hire Documents, where the expert was able to prove all details and signatures had been forged. This was a case involving two large drugs gangs in Scotland chasing each other; one in a hired car from which a gun was fired at the other car - which ended up as a murder case. Kathryn was able to prove that her client was not involved after she attended a prison to obtain his handwriting samples - four other people in this case were each given 25 years in prison.

In another interesting case, Kathryn was asked to investigate a case of fraud that took place in Nairobi, where a gentleman died and the only person present was his girlfriend who had emptied the house and sold it, possibly by forging his signature.

The time frame to undertake these examinations can vary. A single signature fraud usually takes about 7 hours to undertake all as mentioned above. However, Kathryn's caseload is very large so, when a case is received, she can usually complete and return a report within a month - often depending if it has a Court date.

As a Certified Document Examiner, award-winning Kathryn is a Member of the Expert Witness Institute and a Member of NADE - National Association of Document Examiners, and as such regularly attends the annual NADE Conferences usually held in the USA & the Worshipful Company of Security Professional in Inner City of London.

Catriona MacDonald has a Master of Science in Document Analysis from University of Central Lancashire and she has completed 12 months internship with my firm FHDI , she is now undertaking Joint Forensic Science Reports as part of her 2 yrs training with myself.

Kathryn Thorndycraft-Pope CDE MEWI FHDI (Forensic Handwriting & Document Investigation) T:+44 (0) 1569 764 508, M:+44 (0) 7710 655 838; E:kt@fhdi.co.uk W:www.fhdi.co.uk