I was an ordinary citizen, in a parallel nightmare world

Innocent man tells of 17 years behind bars

- NICOLA METHVEN

ANDY Malkinson, who was jailed for 17 years for a rape he did not commit and then repeatedly denied the right to appeal, has spoken of the hellish miscarriage of justice.

Andy, 58, who suffers panic attacks, flashbacks and nightmares, says he felt compelled to tell his story in a new documentary as a warning for others.

He explains: "I wanted to prove my innocence and I've done that but I've lost 20 years of my life and no apologies or platitudes about lessons learned can ever make up for what they did to me.

"The damage is done. The pain doesn't go away. I'm an ordinary citizen.

"And ordinary people should be aware you can be taken. It can happen to anybody. And once they've got you, they don't want to let you go."

In 2003 Andy, then 38, was arrested for a rape and attempted murder in Salford, Greater Manchester.

Recalling the day he was convicted in 2004, he says: "I just couldn't believe it - absolute disbelief. Horror. And fear.

"It's so insane. It's like a parallel nightmare world the whole world hates you right now."

Andy finally walked free in 2020 and his conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal in July last year.

A BBC film shot over three years since his release shows that his mum Trish Hose never doubted his innocence but his sister Sarah thought he must have done it, and never visited him in prison.

People who wrongfully serve more than a decade in jail are entitled to up to £1million in compensation, but Andy has yet to receive a penny.

His justice system ordeal began when a police officer stopped him while riding pillion on a motorbike and thought he looked like an e-fit of the rape suspect.