‘Overwhelmed’ as police chief accepts miscarriage of justice
A MAN who spent 11 years in jail for a murder he didn’t commit says he is overwhelmed to have finally received an acknowledgement from the Chief Constable of South Wales that he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
Michael O’Brien, together with two other men, was convicted of the 1987 murder of newsagent Phillip Saunders outside his home in Cardiff.
Their convictions were quashed in 2000 by the Court of Appeal after it was accepted that intolerable pressure had been put on one of Mr O’Brien’s fellow defendants to confess to the crime.
No forensic evidence existed to link the men to the murder. The real killer or killers remain at large.
In a letter to Mr O’Brien’s MP, Beth Winter, South Wales Police Chief Constable Matt Jukes states: “South Wales Police has since recognised the wrongful conviction as a miscarriage of justice.
“Similarly, it is equally well known that following his conviction being quashed, Mr O’Brien received compensation from the Home Office for his wrongful conviction under the Home Office Miscarriage of Justice Scheme.
“Mr O’Brien also pursued a separate civil claim against South Wales Police.”
Mr O’Brien accepted an out-ofcourt settlement.
Mr Jukes added: “Between 2009 and 2015 South Wales Police investigated a number of allegations that were made in relation to the manner in which the murder of Phillip Saunders was investigated.
“The allegations related to the conduct of a number of civilian witnesses who gave evidence during the original investigation and subsequent trial (Operation Fortitude) and allegations made in relation to the conduct of police officers who were involved in the original investigation (Operation Resolute). In each case the allegations amounted to allegations of perjury and perverting the course of justice.
“Mr O’Brien was fully engaged in this process and he will recall that I met him on several occasions.
“At the conclusion of the investigations, and after consideration by the Crown Prosecution Service, it was found that there was insufficient evidence to charge any individuals with criminal offences pertaining to the miscarriage of justice.
“I am happy to reinforce for the public that South Wales Police recognises Mr O’Brien as the subject of a wrongful conviction arising from a miscarriage of justice.”
Mr O’Brien said: “This is what I’ve been waiting for for 33 years – when I read the letter I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It’s massive and overwhelming for me to get an acknowledgement that we were victims of a miscarriage of justice...
“I remain hopeful that the real killer or killers will be caught – they should be behind bars.
“I constantly think about the impact on Mr Saunders’ family and hope they will now accept that we are innocent.”