Professor David Osselton

Professor M David Osselton is a Consultant Forensic Toxicologist based in Poole. After completing his PhD in Biochemistry he joined the Home Office Forensic Science Service (FSS) in 1974 to carry out toxicology research at the Central Research Establishment. He gained casework experience as Senior Toxicologist working at the FSS laboratories. In 1991 he was appointed Head of Toxicology for the FSS where he was responsible for developing toxicology services in addition to undertaking casework and providing advice to Government departments on drug testing.

In January 2007 he joined the staff of Bournemouth University as Director of the Centre for Forensic Sciences and in August 2014 was appointed Head of Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science in the newly formed Faculty of Science and Technology.

Area of Expertise include:
Forensic Toxicology
Driving under the influence
Drug facilitate sexual assault
Post mortem toxicology
Drugs in hair
Workplace drug testing

Prof. Osselton has over 40 years experience as an expert witness He has been involved in a number of high profile cases for the defence and prosecution both in the UK and overseas. He has been a member of three government Expert Advisory Committees related to Drugs and Driving between 2012 and 2016.

Author/co-author of over 100 published papers/book chapters in forensic toxicology and is a co-editor of Clarke’s Analysis of Drugs and Poisons, the standard international textbook on drug analysis.

Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (F.R.S.C.); Fellow of the Royal Biological Society (FRBS); Fellow of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (FCSFS)