3D Printed Skull Played “Pivotal” Role In Murder Conviction

Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Columbo…3D printing? In a story that seems pulled straight from the latest detective novel, additive manufacturing has been used as a way to get a conviction for a murder in the United Kingdom. A 3D printed skull created as part of a joint partnership between the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary was a key piece of evidence in finding four men guilty of his murder after an eight-week trail.

The case in question was that of Frazer Brabant who was found in his front garden with serious head injuries on October 31, 2019. Though he survived the initial attack, he suffered catastrophic brain damage and was in a coma until he succumbed to his injuries on January 21, 2020, at only 31 years old. His 3D printed skull was used to show the extent of his injuries as well as to help visualize the immense trauma to the head of the victim.

The victim Frazer Brabant (photo credits: Hampshire Constabulary)

The Murder Victim’s 3D Printed Skull

Dr. Morgan Lowther, Senior Scientific Official from the University of Portsmouth’s School of Mechanical and Design Engineering was behind the design and printing of the skull. He explained, “I attended the trial and saw the pathologist use the model to help guide the jury through the injuries sustained by the victim. He was able to demonstrate the order in which the blows were likely to have occurred, whether they’d come at the same angle, and whether they would have come from the same assailant or the same weapon. The jurors were allowed to handle the model and take it into the deliberation room. I think it was a valuable piece of evidence to help them understand the severity of the attack.”