Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

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Oscar Namechange
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

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'Disgraceful' error kept innocent Sean Hodgson suffering for an extra 11 years - Telegraph

Sean Hodgson said he was "ecstatic to be free again" on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice in London after his release at the end of one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.

His conviction was quashed because new DNA analysis of original samples taken from the murder scene - which was not available at the time - proved that he could not have killed barmaid Teresa De Simone in Southampton.



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Victim of Britain's 'longest miscarriage of justice' apologises for false confessionMr Hodgson is eligible for a £1 million payout and his lawyers are also likely to sue the Forensic Science Service (FSS) after the appeal court heard that the tests which freed him should have been carried out 11 years ago.

His lawyers had first asked in 1998 for new tests to be undertaken but were wrongly told the case material no longer existed.

It was only last year, when Mr Hodgson's new solicitors made fresh enquiries, that the exhibits were located and analysed, and within months he was free.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, said there would be "understandable public concern" about the mistakes and the error is subject to an official investigation.

Peter Hodgson, Sean's brother, branded it "disgraceful".

Mr Hodgson, the second-longest serving victim of a miscarriage of justice in British legal history, was convicted of killing 22-year-old Miss De Simone. She had been raped and strangled in her Ford Escort in a car park behind the Tom Tackle pub in Southampton in December 1979.

He had pleaded his innocence after retracting a confession initially given to a Roman Catholic priest – one of hundreds of crimes to which he confessed because, as he told his original trial, he was a "pathological liar".

Mr Hodgson admitted, who suffers from a severe personality disorder, admitted he thought he would die behind bars as he walked out of court. He wore a new watch given to him by the prison governor on the Isle of Wight, where he spent most of the past 27 years, but his time in jail had clearly taken its toll. The white-haired 57-year-old looked frail in a dark suit that hung loosely off his emaciated body and clung to his brother.

Mr Hodgson was only allowed out of jail once, in handcuffs, to attend his mother Olive's funeral. His father Jack is also dead, but several years ago gave an interview in which he protested his son's innocence.

The former miner said: "He has spun a yarn or two to the police many times. He has been a roamer all his life, but he has never hurt anyone."

Peter said: "Mama and papa never lived to see this day. I'm going to put flowers on their grave and let them know."

Mr Hodgson is expected to settle in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in central London. He will be at first homed at a safe haven, set up by the Miscarriages of Justice organisation, and provided with medical and psychiatric care.

His solicitor said that one of the first things that Mr Hodgson is looking forward to going to watch his football team, Sunderland.

Asked about compensation, his lawyer, Julian Young, said: "The Home Office compensation is capped. The question may well be whether the FSS has some liability in terms of what they did 10 years ago. I will be looking at that, but on another day."

Dozens of murderers could have their cases re-examined as a result of the case. The only comparable victim is Stephen Downing, who spent 27 years in jail for the murder of typist Wendy Sewell in Bakewell, Derbyshire. His conviction was overturned in 2002.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has been asked to review all murder convictions pre-1986, before advances in science allowed for reliable DNA testing, in which forensic evidence could change the outcome of the case.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Bez
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

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I have alwayshad a dilema about the 'Death Penalty' , but cases like this show that the debate must continue. .....
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Swimming maggie
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by Swimming maggie »

Bez;1159755 wrote: I have alwayshad a dilema about the 'Death Penalty' , but cases like this show that the debate must continue. .....


It makes you wonder just how many more inocent people have spent time in prison for wrongs they did not committ, but worse still the guilty parties have got away with it as well. Hopefully DNA might help to catch those responsible, sincerely hope so.
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by spot »

Bez;1159755 wrote: I have alwayshad a dilema about the 'Death Penalty' , but cases like this show that the debate must continue. .....


Why do cases like this not finish the debate, since they demonstrate the certainty that innocent people would be killed by the state wherever the death penalty existed?

It's going to be interesting to see the scale of reaction to the appeal court inviting further related appeals in the wake of this. Every single lifer on parole who knows he was wrongly convicted now has a direct window into an appeal. The appeal court has said tell us you didn't do it and we'll force the police to check whether they hold DNA evidence, and if they do we'll force the police to test it, and if your sample doesn't match we'll exonerate you and apologize and compensate financially.

The one thing these people have never been able to do in the past is force the police into testing, and (unlike this case) most of them told the parole board they accepted their guilt and felt remorse (in order to be released - it's how the justice system hammers the final nail into cases like this by refusing any release without such an expression). This is the one chance in a lifetime that they all finally have of getting modern DNA vindication that they were wrongly jailed. It's a huge day for justice though it'll take years to work its way though the system.
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by Clodhopper »

If we had the death penalty he'd be dead. I for one am glad we have been able to free an innocent man.
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spot
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by spot »

It occurs to me that US readers might misunderstand some of the coded language of our court system. When the gentleman who's just been released is described by the court and indeed by his own lawyers as "an inveterate liar", it's because convention in England dictates that nobody in a courtroom said thirty years ago what everyone knew; that the police invariably beat the **** out of suspects until they confessed, and then took the confession to court, and that the courts convicted on the basis of confessions. And, in this case, the one in three coincidence of a blood group match.

There's a circle in hell for policemen.

And no, I'm not qualifying that bit, there's not one career police officer who hasn't abused his position to get a conviction. Nobody could work as a policeman if he did the job honestly, his colleagues wouldn't stand for it.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by spot »

May I drop in an identical case, for the record?Mr Kiszko confessed to Lesley's murder after two days of police questioning, without a solicitor present. He later complained the confession had been bullied out of him, but he was convicted of murder and jailed for life.

But in March 1991, after a long campaign by his mother, a police investigation into the conduct of the original trial began. The investigation found that semen discovered on Lesley's clothing contained heads of sperm. Mr Kiszko, however, was infertile.

Mr Kiszko was cleared and released from prison in February 1992.

BBC NEWS | England | Second victim of Molseed inquiry



Stefan Kiszko, a civil servant from Rochdale, spent just over sixteen years in prison for the murder of Molseed until scientific evidence showed he could not have committed the crime. This evidence was known to the police at the time but was suppressed and not disclosed to the defence. His conviction was overturned in February 1992 but he died suddenly 22 months later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Castree

The same police interrogation method, the same forced confession, the same injustice and (as far as I can find out) no crucified copper to pay for what they'd done. It's that lack of accountability I think needs changing. They should serve equivalent expiatory sentences to those they foisted on their victim.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Swimming maggie
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by Swimming maggie »

spot;1160798 wrote: May I drop in an identical case, for the record?Mr Kiszko confessed to Lesley's murder after two days of police questioning, without a solicitor present. He later complained the confession had been bullied out of him, but he was convicted of murder and jailed for life.

But in March 1991, after a long campaign by his mother, a police investigation into the conduct of the original trial began. The investigation found that semen discovered on Lesley's clothing contained heads of sperm. Mr Kiszko, however, was infertile.

Mr Kiszko was cleared and released from prison in February 1992.

BBC NEWS | England | Second victim of Molseed inquiry



Stefan Kiszko, a civil servant from Rochdale, spent just over sixteen years in prison for the murder of Molseed until scientific evidence showed he could not have committed the crime. This evidence was known to the police at the time but was suppressed and not disclosed to the defence. His conviction was overturned in February 1992 but he died suddenly 22 months later.

Ronald Castree - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The same police interrogation method, the same forced confession, the same injustice and (as far as I can find out) no crucified copper to pay for what they'd done. It's that lack of accountability I think needs changing. They should serve equivalent expiatory sentences to those they foisted on their victim.


How many more cases are there out there that we don't know about, how many more innocent people suffering as a result of brutal police interrogation, and as you say not one of the Police officers pay for it.:-3
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Britains longest miscarraige of justice walks free after 27 years

Post by Oscar Namechange »

spot;1160798 wrote: May I drop in an identical case, for the record?Mr Kiszko confessed to Lesley's murder after two days of police questioning, without a solicitor present. He later complained the confession had been bullied out of him, but he was convicted of murder and jailed for life.

But in March 1991, after a long campaign by his mother, a police investigation into the conduct of the original trial began. The investigation found that semen discovered on Lesley's clothing contained heads of sperm. Mr Kiszko, however, was infertile.

Mr Kiszko was cleared and released from prison in February 1992.

BBC NEWS | England | Second victim of Molseed inquiry



Stefan Kiszko, a civil servant from Rochdale, spent just over sixteen years in prison for the murder of Molseed until scientific evidence showed he could not have committed the crime. This evidence was known to the police at the time but was suppressed and not disclosed to the defence. His conviction was overturned in February 1992 but he died suddenly 22 months later.

Ronald Castree - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The same police interrogation method, the same forced confession, the same injustice and (as far as I can find out) no crucified copper to pay for what they'd done. It's that lack of accountability I think needs changing. They should serve equivalent expiatory sentences to those they foisted on their victim. I remember the Stefan Kiszko case very well. I find it very sad and also outrageous that the poor man died only a year after being finally freed. Even without DNA back then, it must have been simple to establish that he was sterile and could not have left the sperm on her clothing. As you say, not one of the bastards have been held accountable.

I'm watching the process of another appeal by 'Jeremy Bamber', his third, at the moment. It appears they can now prove the gun was moved from his sisters side possibly by police before evidence was photographed.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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