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“Scores of Scottish child abuse cases reopened after expert witness struck off” Sunday Herald
“Testimony of child abuse experts under new scrutiny: Two major inquiries launched into medical evidence used in court cases against parents suspected of abusive behaviour . . .” Sunday Herald
Posted by MM on Sun 9th May 2004 at 10:41 pmPress release
The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission marked its fifth anniversary with a reception in the Signet Library, Edinburgh . . .” Scot. Exec.
See also
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to those freed from prison after a miscarriage of justice. (S2O-1841)
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab)
(and 4 related questions)
“Ice Cream lawyer attacks fit up: justice in the dock: The lawyer who led Joe Steele’s fight for justice yesterday said his stunning victory will mean freedom for others behind bars for crimes they never committed. . .” Sunday Mail 28.3.04
“Police chief snubs TC’s demand for cash talks: Strathclyde Police has rejected Thomas ‘TC’ Campbell’s claim for compensation following the quashing of his conviction. . .” Evening Times 26.3.04.
“Miscarriage admission ‘not enough’: The police have not gone far enough in their apology to one of the two men cleared of the Ice Cream Wars murders, according to his lawyer [. . .] A letter from Strathclyde Police to Mr Campbell’s lawyers has accepted that a miscarriage of justice took place. . .” BBC 26.3.04.
“Police admit Ice Cream Wars miscarriage of justice” Scottish TV 25.3.04.
“Who did kill the Doyles?: Lord Kincraig turned to the jury of 10 women and five men at Glasgow High Court. He looked grim as he spelled out just what they would have to believe if the men accused of what was then Scotland?s worst multiple murder were to go free.
The judge warned that if Tommy ?TC? Campbell and Joe Steele were telling the truth, then the jury would have to accept that “not one or two or four but a large number of detectives have deliberately come here to perjure themselves, to build up a false case against an accused person”. It would mean there had been a conspiracy by officers of the “most sinister and serious kind… to saddle the accused wrongly with the crimes of murder and attempted murder, and a murder of a horrendous nature”. . .” Scotland on Sunday
“Framed me for murder: Rough justice victim Joe Steele today lifts the lid on his remarkable 20-year fight to prove his innocence. For two decades Steele, along with TC Campbell, was branded a mass murderer after the deaths of a family of six in Glasgow’s Ice Cream wars. Last week, the Appeal Court ruled he was a victim of the country’s worst miscarriage of justice. Steele spent 18 years in jail after being wrongly convicted of killing six members of the Doyle family, from Ruchazie, Glas-gow, in 1984. But now Steele, 42, is free to reveal for the first time the true horror of an innocent man jailed for a crime he did not commit. . .” Sunday Mail
Posted by MM on Mon 22nd Mar 2004 at 3:41 pm“Rough Justice Czar. Prosecutors Probed: A Czar is to be appointed to prevent future miscarriages of justice and blunders by prosecutors.For the first time, Scotland will have a Chief Inspector of Prosecution who will police the way the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service operate. . .” Sunday Mail
Press release
“Independent Inspectorate of Prosecution” Scot. Exec. 4.3.04.
Posted by MM on Mon 22nd Mar 2004 at 2:50 pm
Update
“Word of the law that first failed two men, then set them free: The historic judgment by the Court of Criminal Appeal in the “ice-cream wars” case illustrates the measure of change in the legal world in the 20 years since Thomas Campbell and Joseph Steele stood trial. . .” Scotsman 23.3.04.
“Bittersweet taste of freedom: Strathclyde Police was today facing a multi-million pound civil action from the two men cleared of the Glasgow Ice-Cream War murders. . .” Evening Times
“Ice Cream War pair freed after convictions quashed: It has been one of Scotland’s longest-running campaigns against a miscarriage of justice, and today the men jailed for Glasgow’s notorious Ice Cream War murders are free, without a stain on their name. Appeal Court judges quashed the convictions of Thomas TC Campbell and Joe Steele, after hearing new evidence which cast doubt on the accuracy of police testimony in the case. . .” Scottish TV
‘“Ice-cream wars’ verdicts quashed as justice system faulted” Scotsman
“There is no jubilation or happiness there are only losers?: It took two decades and ended in 10 words. Thomas “TC” Campbell and Joe Steele sighed with relief and smiled at their family and friends as Lord Gill, the lord justice clerk, told them: “Your convictions are quashed and you are free to go.” . . .” Herald
“Justice system in the dock” It was a crime that caused widespread revulsion. When six members of the Doyle family were murdered in their Glasgow tenement flat in April 1984, innocent victims of a war to control ice-cream van routes, the police came under intense pressure to find the perpetrators. . .” Herald. Editorial.
“A mass murder that shocked an entire nation” Herald
“Crown Office hints at a new investigation ?if evidence emerges?: Police and the prosecution service have had more than 20 years to look at the details of the ice cream war murders, but said last night they could not yet respond to yesterday’s monumental decision to quash the convictions. . .” Herald
“Glasgow pair are cleared of ice-cream murders” Times
“Prisoners cleared of 1984 ‘ice cream war’ murders” Telegraph
“Call for inquiry after ‘ice-cream war’ convictions quashed” Independent
“Falsely held for 20 years, ice cream war pair free at last” Guardian
Following posted on 17.3.04 at 4.05pm.
“Ice Cream Wars pair win freedom: Judges have quashed Thomas TC Campbell and Joe Steele’s convictions for the so-called Ice Cream Wars murders 20 years ago. Three judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh decided they were victims of a miscarriage of justice. . .” BBC
“Ice cream war convictions overturned: The two men jailed for life for murdering six members of the Doyle family during Glasgow’s Ice Cream Wars have had their convictions overturned. Thomas TC Campbell and Joe Steele have spent almost 20 years protesting their innocence. . .” Scottish TV
“Appeal judges clear Ice Cream Wars pair: Two men jailed for life for the notorious Glasgow Ice Cream War murders were cleared today by appeal judges after 16 years behind bars. . .” Evening News
“Free at last: The men jailed for Glasgow’s Ice-Cream War killings walked free from court today after their convictions were quashed. . .” Evening Times
See also
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
Strathclyde Police
“Holyrood clash over Blunkett jail fees: Scottish Executive ministers are to thwart David Blunkett?s controversial plans to charge victims of miscarriages of justice for their time in prison, it emerged last night [. . .] An Executive spokesman stressed that it had “no plans to introduce charging” for victims of miscarriages of justice . . .” Scotsman
Posted by MM on Mon 15th Mar 2004 at 2:58 pmThis week’s edition of the Big Issue contains a number of articles of relevance. Only obtainable from a vendor or by subscription.
“Secure Unit Proposal Reveals Prejudice in Local Communities: Within weeks the site for the secure centre for Scots with mental health problems will be chosen for the west of Scotland, sparking a ferocious debate in local communities. . .”
“Anti-youth propaganda: politicians must take the rap and stoop shifting the blame.”
“Prolonged Punishment - Release is only the Beginning: No amount of money can make up for an innocent life behind bars but the UK criminal justice system can’t even manage to compensate fairly.”
“Scales of Injustice: In the UK last year more than 3,000 prisoners were pursuing miscarriage of justice cases.” Can the Scottish criminal justice system still claim to be the best in the world ?
Posted by MM on Fri 14th Nov 2003 at 1:41 pm