Surrey ‘mailbag thief’ jailed in 1976 overturns conviction – BBC News
‘A man who served eight months in a youth jail for stealing mailbags in the 1970s has had his name cleared.’
BBC News, 17th January 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: miscarriage of justice
Police doctor warns of more miscarriages of justice in rape cases in row over DNA testing – Daily Telegraph
‘A police doctor has warned of potential miscarriages of justice in rape cases after medical examinations were outsourced to the private security company G4S.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th December 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
The ‘completely childish’ man hanged for murder – BBC News
‘He was one of the last two men hanged in Britain. A habitual liar convicted of murdering a man who had been his friend, and perhaps his lover. But according to a leading criminal lawyer, who has viewed documents uncovered by the BBC, he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.’
BBC News, 18th December 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Birmingham Six: Calls for end to ‘double injustice’ – BBC News
‘Two men who were wrongly convicted of carrying out the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974 have supported calls for the alleged bombers to be named publicly to end a “double injustice”.’
BBC News, 6th December 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Serial killer Levi Bellfield gives ‘very detailed confession’ of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in 1996 – The Independent
‘Lawyers acting for the man convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in Kent in 1996 say they have new evidence of his innocence, including a “very detailed confession” to the killings from serial killer Levi Bellfield.’
The Independent, 29th November 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Speech by The Rt. Hon. The Lord Burnett of Maldon at the Criminal Cases Review Commission – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
‘I am very grateful to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for asking me to join you this morning to reflect briefly on your first twenty years of service to the rule of law and cause of justice. As I am first to speak may I thank Linklaters on your collective behalf for their generous hospitality without which this event would not be taking place. It is particularly poignant for me to be here because, as some of you know, I was junior counsel to the May inquiry into the convictions of the Guildford Four and Maguire family and so whilst not quite the midwife to the birth of the Criminal Cases Review Commission was one of those in the delivery room. You have a fascinating day ahead of you and I am only sorry that pressing commitments elsewhere will force me to leave, rather rudely, as soon as I have finished speaking.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 3rd November 2017
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Trial of Cardiff Three police collapsed due to human error, inquiry finds – The Guardian
‘The collapse of a trial of police officers accused of framing innocent men for murder collapsed due to human error, not corruption, an official report has concluded.’
The Guardian, 18th July 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Rogue forensic workers feared to have doctored the results of 500 lab tests – throwing hundreds of court cases into doubt – Daily Telegraph
‘Almost 500 criminal investigations are being reviewed after test results at a forensics lab were allegedly tampered with by two “rogue” scientists.’
Daily Telegraph, February 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Destruction of court records ‘hampers miscarriage of justice inquiries’ – The Guardian
‘Investigations into miscarriages of justice are being hampered by premature destruction of court records, according to a campaign aimed at improving transparency in the criminal justice system.’
The Guardian, 31st January 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Don Hale: One man’s fight for justice – BBC News
‘Fifteen years ago Stephen Downing was acquitted after spending 27 years in prison for murder, overturning one of Britain’s most notorious miscarriages of justice and putting into the spotlight the local newspaper editor who helped to bring the police’s case tumbling down.’
BBC News, 26th January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Senior military judge mishandled trial of jailed marine Alexander Blackman, official report finds – Daily Telegraph
‘Britain’s most senior military judge mishandled the trial of a Royal Marine accused of murdering a wounded Taliban fighter to the extent that his conviction may now be quashed, the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice has found.’
Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Jailed marine Alexander Blackman’s defence team ‘fell below standard required’, official report concludes – Daily Telegraph
‘The legal team tasked with defending a Royal Marine accused of murdering a wounded Taliban fighter were responsible for a litany of failings that rendered his subsequent conviction unsafe, the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice has found.’
Daily Telegraph, 3rd January 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Pre-inquest hearing today begins new inquests into Birmingham pub bombings – Daily Telegraph
‘A pre-inquest hearing today will begin a fresh examination of the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974.’
Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Fake rape’ woman Layla Ibrahim fights to clear name – BBC News
‘A woman sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of faking her own rape says she is now fighting to clear her name.’
BBC News, 15th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Truth and Justice – Counsel
‘Arguably the most serious miscarriage of justice of our times – lessons must be learned from the iconic Hillsborough proceedings, writes Pete Weatherby QC.’
Counsel, November 2016
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Shocking injustices: the conviction of David Bryant – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
“You are free to go. I am very sorry.” It was with these words that Lord Justice Leveson in the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of David Bryant, a former fireman of seemingly impeccable character, for abusing a boy four decades earlier in a case that was based upon the uncorroborated word of a man revealed to be “a chronic liar”.
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th August 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Police and prosecutors criticised after firefighter wrongly convicted of sex attacks solely on testimony of fantasist – Daily Telegraph
‘A retired fire chief falsely accused of sexually abusing a boy 40 years ago has had his conviction overturned after it emerged his accuser was a fantasist and serial liar.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
The mysterious case of the drug-smuggling fishermen – BBC News
‘In 2011, a group of men from the Isle of Wight was given a combined 104-year prison sentence for masterminding a £53m drug smuggling operation. Does new evidence suggest they were innocent?’
BBC News, 19th July 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
How To Prevent Miscarriages Of Justice: Let Journalists Speak To Prisoners – RightsInfo
’17 years ago, the highest court in the UK declared that a policy prohibiting journalists from interviewing prisoners to uncover potential miscarriages of justice violated the right to free expression.’
RightsInfo, 8th July 2016
Source: www.rightsinfo.org
Ellie Butler judge ‘took unwarranted steps’ to reunite her with violent parents – The Guardian
‘A senior judge in the family court took “unwarranted” extra steps in reuniting a man with a violent and criminal past with his young daughter 11 months before he beat her to death, the author of a serious case review has said.’
The Guardian, 22nd June 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
