‘More innocent people’s lives might be ruined’
A MAN who spent 11 years in jail for a murder he didn’t commit has written a book that calls for a judicial inquiry into miscarriages of justice involving South Wales Police.
The Dossier by Michael O’Brien focuses on 10 prosecutions involving serious allegations of police misconduct in South Wales over four decades.
Mr O’Brien is one of three men whose convictions for the murder of Cardiff newsagent Philip Saunders were quashed because Court of Appeal judges concluded there had been police misconduct in the investigation of the case.
Among the other cases examined in the book is that of the Cardiff Three, who were wrongly convicted of murdering sex worker Lynette White.
Three black men had their convictions quashed because of police misconduct. Years later a white man, Jeffrey Gafoor, was given a life sentence for murder after advances in DNA enabled him to be identified as the real killer.
In the introduction to The Dossier, Mr O’Brien, who now lives in Mountain Ash, writes: “This book summarises 10 prosecutions involving serious allegations of police misconduct in South Wales spanning almost four decades. Some are high-profile; others less so, though all are of equal – and crucial – importance in the fight to achieve a fair and impartial system of justice.
“In these cases, 23 people – 19 men and four women – went to prison for crimes they did not commit. Twentyone faced either murder or terrorism charges which could have resulted in life sentences upon conviction. Between them, these 23 people have spent over 80 years in prison. There may be more innocent people that we do not know of, or have yet to have their convictions overturned.
“Patterns emerge which raise wider concerns about dubious practices used by members of the South Wales Police, particularly where investigations of the most serious crimes are concerned.
“Only a judicial inquiry led by a high court judge can effectively investigate the question of what has gone wrong with our police and judicial processes, and thereafter examine the underlying causes.
“These include whether there is, or was, a culture which tolerated dishonest practices within South Wales Police; whether ‘suspect–led’ policing has caused manipulation of evidence to fit particular suspects on whom a view has been taken; and whether particular interviewing techniques have been or are still being employed, which have led to suspects and witnesses giving false evidence and making false confessions.
“A judicial inquiry would serve a vital public interest. More innocent people may have their lives ruined if the practices that occurred in these cases are allowed to continue. Murderers, and perpetrators of serious crime, will continue to go free and offend again. The victims of these miscarriages of justice and the families of those killed will continue to feel that the whole truth has not emerged.
“There has not been any wide-scale disciplinary action taken against officers that would reassure the public that the misconduct that led to these miscarriages of justice has been expurgated.
“Only if the facts are fully and fearlessly publicly explored can we know what really happened and measures put in place to ensure that it does not happen again.
“Incredibly, not one police officer has been brought to book for causing any of these miscarriages of justice, and all have been allowed to retire on full pensions.”
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thorne said: “South Wales Police is committed to learning from mistakes and improving its service to victims. The cases referred to in this book have been subjected to much public and independent scrutiny.
“We have used the lessons from this scrutiny to drive change and transform the way we carry out major investigations.”
The Dossier: Miscarriages of Justice in South Wales 1982-2016 by Michael O’Brien is published by Seren at £9.99.