Ex-cops: Essex Boys killers were framed
A TEAM of former detectives believe the wrong men may have been jailed over the notorious Essex Boys triple murders more than 25 years ago.
Their claim comes as one of the killers could be released from prison within weeks.
Jack Whomes, 58, who has a parole hearing later this month, and Michael Steele, 76, have served 23 years in jail after being convicted in January 1998 of the gangland executions of three drug dealers who were shot dead in a Range Rover.
The bodies of Pat Tate, 37, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26, were found in the vehicle parked on a remote farm track in Rettendon, Essex, on December 7, 1995.
Whomes and Steele were jailed on the evidence of supergrass Darren Nicholls, who told the Old Bailey he had acted as a getaway driver for the pair.
He claimed they had lured their victims to the scene on the pretence of discussing drugs.
Whomes and Steele have always protested their innocence and no forensic evidence linked them to the murders. Instead, mobile phone evidence was relied upon.
But a team of former Met Police investigators, including one who arrested Nicholls on suspicion of drug importation before he agreed to act for the prosecution, claim to have found evidence that supports the statements of another alleged getaway driver who named different killers four months before Nicholls gave his account.
Former Met Police DCI Dave Mckelvey arrested Nicholls in connection with a drugs importation in May 1996. This was five months after the murders and before he was handed over to Essex Police and agreed to give evidence against Whomes and Steele.
Mr Mckelvey, who now runs private investigation firm TM-EYE, had always believed the right men were convicted. But his investigators have spent the past year looking into the murders and are now convinced they are innocent.
Mr Mckelvey said: “For years I believed Steele and Whomes were guilty. Ten months ago the TM-EYE Murder and Serious Crime Review Team began a review. What we have discovered is damning and deeply worrying.”
TM-EYE believes evidence supports the account of East End criminal Billy Jasper, who told police he was the getaway driver for another named assassin. But this was dismissed by Essex Police without further investigation.
Mr Mckelvey said: “The evidence of Jasper is compelling. He was arrested in 1996 for a different matter, a month after the murders.
“He asked to see the CID and gave a detailed account of his involvement in the murders.
“He named the assassin and those who orchestrated it.”
TM-EYE has written to Essex Police asking to meet to discuss its findings. A force spokesman said: “There was an exhaustive investigation. Following the trial and convictions evidence has been further examined by the Court of Appeal.”
‘It’s damning and worrying’