The judgment clearing Oliver Campbell, 54, of conspiracy to rob and murder ends one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British criminal history, and will throw a new focus on past policing failures and the current approach of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
Campbell said: "The fight for justice is finally over after nearly 34 years. I can start my life an innocent man." Campbell, who suffered a severe brain injury as a baby, was convicted at the age of 21 at the Old Bailey in 1991 of the murder of a London off-licence keeper, Baldev Hoondle, after confessing during the 11th of 14 police interviews, some of which were carried out without a solicitor.
The court of appeal heard from expert witnesses that Campbell had an IQ of 73 and scored "abnormally high" for acquiescence, with an "extreme tendency to just, when in doubt, say yes".
His barrister, Michael Birnbaum KC, told the court police had "badgered and bullied" him into giving a false confession.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
London to host first finals of rugby's Nations Championship
Exclusive
Waiting game Tuchel not expected to attend matches in England until 2025
Thomas Tuchel is not expected to attend Premier League matches to scout players before he begins his role as England's head coach on 1 January.
Tuchel's club record does not mean he will shine in internationals
German's success stands out but many big-name managers have proved unable to replicate domestic triumphs in World Cups and Euros
Dyche queries FA pathway for developing English talent
Sean Dyche has questioned whether the Football Association remains committed to giving English coaches a pathway to the top after the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as men's national team manager.
Paquetá tells lawyers to complain to FA over 'leaks'
West Ham's Lucas Paquetá has instructed his lawyers to complain to the Football Association over \"false and misleading\" leaks relating to the investigation into his alleged breaches of betting regulations.
Salman puts hosts in control after wasteful England miss chances
For all the chaos that preceded this game Pakistan find themselves in control. It is not yet over but it has started to feel decided: England have never successfully chased more than 209 to win a Test in Asia and their target here is 297, the pursuit of which started in the final halfhour of the third day in the worst imaginable style.
Winless but still far from hopeless Assessing the Premier League's bottom four
Struggling quartet have not tasted victory seven matches in but have reasons to cling to optimism for the rest of the season
‘Even today, Liverpool fans I meet still show me love'
Now banished to Bremen's under-23s, the former Reds midfielder discusses injuries, Klopp and World Cup dreams
Hamano's audacious lob puts Chelsea in charge on Dutch soil
Goals from young forwards Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano showed just how bright Chelsea's future is as they continued their winning start to the season under new manager Sonia Bompastor with a 3-1 defeat of FC Twente.
Ainslie revels in underdog role as Ineos Britannia plot fightback
Twenty-four hours can be a long time on the water. When the sea state off Barcelona changed on Tuesday, the balance of the 37th America's Cup shifted with it. All of a sudden, Ineos Britannia, who were trailing Emirates Team New Zealand 4-0 in the best-of-13 series, were swept back into contention. The America's Cup is a competition for sailboat builders as well as sailors, and the subtle design differences between the two AC75 yachts gave the British team an advantage in the heavier weather. Soon enough, they had pulled the score back to 4-2.
