Dr Kevin Farrugia

Dr. Kevin Farrugia obtained a joint undergraduate degree in chemistry and physics from the University of Malta followed on by a one-year traineeship with the Novartis Biomedical Research Institute in Switzerland. After completion of a Masters and PhD in forensic science at the University of Strathclyde, he joined Abertay University in 2011 before moving to De Montfort University in 2019 where his current role involves teaching chemistry and forensic modules on the forensic course in addition to supervision of post-graduate students. 

• Forensic Science
• Chemistry

• Stoddart, W., Georgiou, K., Deacon, P.,Nichols-Drew, L., Farrugia, K.J. Technical note: A preliminary assessment of UV-C imaging using the Full Spectrum Imaging System (FSIS-II) for the detection of latent fingermarks, Forensic Science International, 2024, 355, 111945.                                                                    
• Illston-Baggs, G., Deacon, P., Ivanova, J., Nichols-Drew, L., Armitage, R., Farrugia, K.J. The detection of latent fingermarks on thermal paper using vacuum metal deposition: a pseudo-operational trial, Forensic Chemistry, 2022, 29, 100427.                                                                                                                   
• Illston-Baggs, G., Deacon, P., Ivanova, J., Nichols-Drew, L., Farrugia, K.J. The detection of latent fingermarks on thermal paper using vacuum metal deposition: a pseudo-operational trial, Journal of Forensic Identification, 2022, 72 (2), 185-199. 

• Illston-Baggs, G., Deacon, P., Ivanova, J., Nichols-Drew, L., Farrugia, K.J. A pseudo-operational trial: An investigation into the use of longwave reflected UV imaging of cyanoacrylate developed fingermarks, Forensic Science International, 2021, 325, 110871. 

• Zhao, Y., Wang, L., Li, W., You, W., Farrugia, K.J. Effect of carrier solvent in 1,2 indanedione formulation on the development of fingermarks on porous substrates, Forensic Science International, 2021, 318, 110589.

• Nichols-Drew, L., Armitage, R., Hillman, R.A., Sheridan, K.J., Farrugia, K.J. On a Knife Edge: A preliminary investigation of clothing damage using rounded-tip knives, Science & Justice, 2020, 60 (6), 495-503.

• Sherriffs P., Farrugia, K.J., Fraser, J., Jones, B.J. The optimisation of fingermark enhancement by VMD and Lumicyano™ on thermal paper, Science & Justice, 2020, 60 (2), 160-168.

• Robb, K., Deacon, P., Fordyce, L., Fennessy, R., Farrugia, K.J. Evaluation of a Hot Print System for the development of latent fingermarks on thermal paper: A pseudo-operational trial. Science & Justice, 2020, 60 (1), 72-78.

• Farrugia, K.J., Hunter, D., Wilson, C., Hay, S., Sherriffs, P., Deacon, P. Further pseudo-operational trials with the Lumicyano double and co-fuming process for the detection of latent fingermarks, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2020, 65 (1), 248-254.

• Jones, C., Fraser, J., Deacon, P., Lindsay, M., Carlysle-Davies, F., Farrugia, K.J. An Assessment of a Portable Cyanoacrylate Fuming System (LumiFumeTM) for the Development of Latent Fingermarks, Forensic Science International, 2019, 305

• McMorris, H.L., Jones, B.J., Gentles, D., Sturrock, K., Farrugia, K.J. Environmental effects on magnetic fluorescent powder development of fingermarks on bird of prey feathers, Science & Justice, 2019, 59 (2), 117-124.

• Mutter, N., Deacon, P., Farrugia, K.J. The effect of cyanoacrylate fuming on subsequent protein stain enhancement of fingermarks in blood, Journal of Forensic Identification, 2018, 68 (4), 545-556.

• Stewart, V., Deacon, P., Zahra, N., Uchimoto, M.L., Farrugia, K.J. The effect of mark enhancement techniques on the presumptive and confirmatory tests for blood, Science & Justice, 2018, 58 (6), 386-396.

• Olszowska, I., Deacon, P., Lindsay, M., Lesniewski, A., Niedziólka-Jönsson, J., Farrugia, K.J. An alternative carrier solvent for fingermark enhancement reagents, Forensic Science International, 2018, 284, 53-64.

• Farrugia, K.J., Stewart, V., Deacon, P. A review of one-step fluorescent cyanoacrylate techniques, Fingerprint Whorld, 2016, 41 (162), 6-29.

• McAllister, P., Deacon, P., Graham, E.A.M., Farrugia, K.J. The Effect of Mark Enhancement Techniques on the Subsequent Detection of Saliva, Science &Justice, 2016, 56 (5), 305-320.

• Farrugia, K.J., Fraser, J., Friel, L., Adams, D., Attard-Montalto, N., Deacon, P. A comparison between atmospheric/humidity and vacuum cyanoacrylate fuming of latent fingermarks, Forensic Science International, 2015, 257, 54-70.

• McMorris, H., Farrugia, K.J., Gentles, D. An investigation into the detection of latent marks on the feathers and eggs of birds of prey, Science & Justice, 2015, 55 (2), 90-96.

• Simmons, R.K., Deacon, P., Phillips, D., Farrugia, K.J. The Effect of Mark Enhancement Techniques on the Subsequent Detection of Semen/Spermatozoa, Forensic Science International, 2014, 244, 231-246.

• Hammell, L., Deacon, P., Farrugia, K.J. Chemical enhancement of soil-based marks on non-porous surfaces followed by gelatin lifting, Journal of Forensic Identification, 2014, 64 (6), 583-608.

• Farrugia, K.J.,  Fraser, J., Calder, N., Deacon, P. Pseudo-operational trials of Lumicyano Solution^TM and Lumicyano Powder^TM  for the detection of latent fingermarks on various substrates, Journal of Forensic Identification, 2014, 64 (6), 556-582.

• Munro, M., Deacon, P., Farrugia K.J. A preliminary investigation into the use of alginates for the lifting and enhancement of fingermarks in blood, Science & Justice, 2014, 54 (3), 185-191.

• Farrugia, K.J., Deacon, P., Fraser, J. Evaluation of Lumicyano^TM cyanoacrylate fuming process for the development of latent fingermarks on plastic carrier bags by means of a pseudo operational comparative trial, Science & Justice, 2014, 54 (2), 126-132.

• Simmons, R. K., Deacon, P., Farrugia, K.J. Water-Soaked Porous Evidence: A Comparison of Processing Methods, Journal of Forensic Identification, 2014, 64 (2), 157-173.

• Rae, L., Gentles, D., Farrugia, K.J. An investigation into the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on fruit and vegetables, Science & Justice, 2013, 53 (3), 321-327.

• Thomas, P., Farrugia, K.J. An Investigation into the Enhancement of Fingermarks in Blood on Paper with Genipin and Lawsone, Science & Justice, 2013, 53 (3), 315-320.

• Ferguson, S., Nicholson, L., Farrugia, K.J., Bremner, D., Gentles, D., A Preliminary Investigation into the Acquisition of Fingerprints on Food, Science & Justice, 2013, 53 (1), 67-72.

• Farrugia, K.J., Bandey, H.L., Nic Daéid, N., A Comparison of Enhancement Techniques for Footwear Impressions on Dark and Patterned Fabrics, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2013, 58 (6), 1472-1485.

• Farrugia, K.J., Bandey, H.L., Nic Daéid, N., Chemical Enhancement of Footwear Impressions in Blood on Fabric-Part 3: Amino Acid Staining, Science and Justice, 2013, 53 (1), 8-13.

• Farrugia, K.J., Riches, P., Bandey, H.L., Nic Daéid, N., Controlling the Variable of Pressure in the Production of Test Footwear Impressions, Science and Justice, 2012, 52 (3), 168-176.

• Farrugia, K.J., Bandey, H., Dawson, L., Nic Daéid, N., Chemical Enhancement of Soil-Based Footwear Impressions on Fabric, Forensic Science International, 2012, 219 (1-3), 12-28.

• Farrugia, K.J., Bandey, H.L., Bleay, S., Nic Daéid, N., Chemical Enhancement of Footwear Impressions in Urine on Fabric, Forensic Science International, 2012, 214 (1-3), 67-81.

• Farrugia, K.J., Savage, K.A., Bandey, H.L., Ciuksza, T., Nic Daéid, N., Chemical Enhancement of Footwear Impressions in Blood on Fabric – Part 2: Peroxidase reagents, Science & Justice, 2011, 51 (3) 110-121.

• Farrugia, K.J., Savage, K.A., Bandey, H.L., Nic Daéid, N., Chemical Enhancement of Footwear Impressions in Blood on Fabric – Part 1: Protein Stains, Science and Justice, 2011, 51 (3) 99-109.

• Farrugia K.J., Nic Daéid N., Savage K.A., Bandey H.L., Chemical enhancement of footwear impressions in blood deposited on fabric – Evaluating the use of alginate casting materials followed by chemical enhancement, Science and Justice, 2010, 50 (4) 200-204.

 

Kevin is actively involved in research related to the enhancement of latent marks (fingermarks and footwear marks) in addition to integrated approaches of multiple types of evidence.

Current research focus

• Alternative and greener solvents used in fingermark formulations.
• Application of vacuum as an alternative to solvent used in fingermark formulations.
• Integrated approached to multiple types of evidence e.g. fingermarks and ink analysis.

• Forensic Chemistry FSCI1011
• Drugs of Abuse FSCI2030
• Forensic Analytical Chemistry FSCI2040
• Fire, Arson and Explosives FSCI3020
• Project and Professional Skills FSCI3060

• B.Sc. (Hons) Chemistry & Physics (University of Malta)
• M.Sc. Forensic Science (University of Strathclyde)
• PhD Forensic Science (University of Strathclyde)
• Pg. Cert. in Higher Education (Abertay University)

DMU Teacher Fellow

Member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Forensic Identification.

Reviewer for a number of mainstream forensic and chemistry journals: Analytical Chemistry, Science & Justice, Forensic Science International, Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, Journal of Forensic Chemistry, Journal Forensic Sciences, Micron and Journal of Forensic Identification.

QAA Subject Benchmark Statement reading group for Forensic Sciences 2021.

• Chartered Chemist by the Royal Society of Chemistry (CChem)
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
• Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences
• Member of the International Association of Identification
• Member of the Fingerprint Society
• Member of the Society for Evidence-based Policing
• Member of the Footwear and Tire Consensus Body of the AAFS Standards Board
• Member of the International Fingerprint Research Group (IFRG)

• The use of pseudo-operational trials in fingermark research projects, CSFS Fingerprint Virtual Conference, 25 March 2022. 
• Longwave reflected UV imaging of cyanoacrylate developed fingermarks, Foster and Freeman Virtual Crime-Lites in Research Symposium, Online, September 2021.
• An Alternative Solvent Carrier Solvent for Fingermark enhancement Reagents, Foster and Freeman Virtual Fingermark Research Symposium, Online, November 2020. 
• The Development of Fingermarks on Thermal Paper, presented at the 12^th International Fingerprint Research Group Meeting, Sheffield, UK, June 2019.

• An Assessment of a Portable Cyanoacrylate Fuming System (LumiFume^TM) for the Development of Latent Fingermarks, presented at the 12^th International Fingerprint Research Group Meeting, Sheffield, UK, June 2019.

• An investigation into the use of alternative chemicals for fingermark enhancement reagents, presented at The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences Autumn Conference AGM, Northampton, UK, November 2018.

• One-Step Fluorescent Cyanoacrylate Trials, presented at the 11^th International Fingerprint Research Group Meeting, Beijing, China, October 2017.

• An Alternative Carrier Solvent for Amino Acid Reagents, presented at the 11^th International Fingerprint Research Group Meeting, Beijing, China, October 2017.

• Effect of mark enhancement techniques on the subsequent detection of body fluids, presented at The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences Autumn Conference AGM, Birmingham, UK, November 2016.

• The effect of mark enhancement techniques on the subsequent detection of body fluids, presented at the 100th IAI International Conference, Sacramento, USA, August 2015.

• Lumicyano pseudo-operational trials for the detection of latent fingermarks, presented at the 100th IAI International Conference, Sacramento, USA, August 2015.

• The Effect of Enhancement Techniques on the subsequent detection of body fluids, presented at the 40th Educational Annual Conference of the Fingerprint Society, Leicester, UK, March 2015.

• An evaluation of Lumicyano as a one-step fluorescent cyanoacrylate process, presented at the 39th Educational Annual Conference of the Fingerprint Society, Glasgow, UK, March 2014.

• Chemical Treatment of Footwear Marks on Fabric, presented at the 4th European Meeting of the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, Edinburgh, UK, Nov 2012.

• Physical and Chemical Techniques for the Enhancement of Shoeprints, presented at the 17th RSC ASN Emerging Professionals, Knutsford, UK, May 2012.

• Footwear Mark Development on Fabric, presented at the 37th Educational Annual Conference of the Fingerprint Society, Swanwick, UK, April 2012.

• The enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on fabric, presented at the 95th IAI International Conference, Spokane, USA, July 2010.

• The enhancement of footwear impressions made in urine on fabric, presented at the 95th IAI International Conference, Spokane, USA, July 2010.

Leisa Nichols-Drew  - Optimisation of the development and visualisation of latent fingermarks on leather surfaces, utilising fluorescence, for the advancement of crime scene investigation.

 

Joel Able  - Development and optimisation of solvent-free processes for latent fingermark development.

Sophie Taylor  - An Investigation into the Visualisation and Enhancement of Fingermarks in Blood onBiodegradable and Compostable Bags.