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.’

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Daily Telegraph, February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Destruction of court records ‘hampers miscarriage of justice inquiries’ – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2017 in courts, documents, inquiries, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘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.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Don Hale: One man’s fight for justice – BBC News

Posted January 27th, 2017 in media, miscarriage of justice, murder, news, rape by sally

‘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.’

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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.’

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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

Posted January 4th, 2017 in armed forces, legal representation, miscarriage of justice, murder, news by tracey

‘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.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pre-inquest hearing today begins new inquests into Birmingham pub bombings – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2016 in explosives, inquests, miscarriage of justice, news, terrorism by tracey

‘A pre-inquest hearing today will begin a fresh examination of the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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”.

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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

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in child abuse, miscarriage of justice, news, sexual offences by sally

‘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.’

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Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The mysterious case of the drug-smuggling fishermen – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2016 in appeals, drug trafficking, evidence, miscarriage of justice, news, ships by sally

‘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?’

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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.’

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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.’

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The Guardian, 22nd June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ben Butler guilty of murdering daughter Ellie – BBC News

‘A man has been found guilty of murdering his six-year-old daughter just 11 months after she was returned to his care following a custody battle’

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BBC News, 21st June 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal court to hear first ‘guilty by association’ test cases – The Guardia

Posted June 21st, 2016 in appeals, gangs, joint enterprise, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘The fate of hundreds of youths imprisoned under controversial “joint enterprise” laws could be decisively rewritten this month when the first test cases come before the criminal court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 21st June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police were within rights to investigate Cardiff Three officers, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted June 15th, 2016 in corruption, miscarriage of justice, murder, news, police by sally

‘Police detectives were within their rights to investigate colleagues involved in the notorious Cardiff Three miscarriage of justice murder case whom they suspected of framing the innocent men, a senior judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court rule changes ‘may drive innocent defendants into making guilty pleas’ – The Independent

‘Changes to court rules to encourage more defendants to plead guilty earlier may lead to more miscarriages of justice as well as increasing the prison population, MPs warn today.’

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The Independent, 14th June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rough justice – New Law Journal

Posted June 2nd, 2016 in criminal justice, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘The 25th anniversary of the release of the Birmingham Six serves as a powerful reminder of the fallibility of our justice system, says Jon Robins.’

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New Law Journal, 2nd June 2016

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Birmingham pub bombings: coroner orders new inquests – The Guardian

Posted June 2nd, 2016 in explosives, inquests, Ireland, miscarriage of justice, news, police, terrorism by sally

‘An inquest into the Birmingham pub bombings, one of the worst terrorist attacks in British history, is to be reopened 42 years after they claimed the lives of 21 people.’

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The Guardian, 1st June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Two-thirds of ‘miscarriage’ referrals successful – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Two-thirds of cases referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) for suspected miscarriages of justice have succeeded on appeal, the government has revealed.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk