Latest news with #miscarriageofjustice
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
Miscarriage of justice watchdog ‘incompetent', says new boss
The watchdog that investigates miscarriages of justice is 'incompetent', the organisation's new chairman has said. Dame Vera Baird, a former solicitor general and victims' commissioner, said she would be carrying out a root-and-branch review of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), of which she has been appointed interim chair. The CCRC has been heavily criticised for its role in the scandal of Andrew Malkinson, whose case it failed to refer to the Court of Appeal despite evidence that he had been wrongly convicted of rape. Mr Malkinson was cleared 17 years after being jailed, but could have been freed years earlier if the CCRC had not rejected two applications on cost-benefit grounds. Dame Vera said the CCRC was 'negative' in its approach when it should be 'bold', and had subsequently shown itself to be 'incapable of learning from mistakes'. She told Sky News: 'They don't communicate with applicants, are reluctant to challenge the Court of Appeal, they look for reasons not to refer rather than to refer and are quite often incompetent.' 'I didn't find her impressive' The previous chair, Helen Pitcher, was forced to resign in January, and MPs have expressed deep reservations over Karen Kneller, the current chief executive, saying it was 'no longer tenable' for her to continue in post. Dame Vera, who has also been a police and crime commissioner, said she would be meeting Ms Kneller next week when she starts her post and 'discussing her position'. She was not impressed by Ms Kneller's evidence to the Commons justice committee, which expressed concern that she may have misled it. 'I didn't find her impressive,' said Dame Vera. 'I was really quite concerned about, first of all, the kind of fairly sketchy way in which she even allowed that they got it wrong in Malkinson, and these assertions that she was sorry that people only judged them by the mistakes, and they all took them very seriously, but actually they were otherwise doing a very good job. 'My fear is that the attitude in the case of Malkinson and others, points to there being an attitude that's not positive, that's not mission-driven, that is not go-getter in other cases. So, are they getting it done properly?' 'A complex task' She said there needed to be a complete rethink over how the CCRC operated, including ending its full work-from-home regime where even executives come into the office only 'one or two days every couple of months'. 'They need to be bold, they need to be mission-driven,' said Dame Vera. 'It is in my mind that this policy of 'remote first' must change. Obviously there will be people who have just had a baby who cannot do it but I completely agree that [you need to come into the office] for esprit de corps, team spirit.' In February, the CCRC received an application from Lucy Letby, the former nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, following concerns that a miscarriage of justice may have taken place. Asked whether she thought the CCRC could deal with it, Dame Vera said: 'Remember I'm quite new to it. It will need complexity. It will need a team. It will need the readiness to commission reports, I would guess from what's been said about the lack of scientific value in some of the things that were asserted. 'So it's going to be a very complex task.'
Sky News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
New miscarriage of justice watchdog chair calls leadership 'unimpressive'
The watchdog that examines potential miscarriages of justice has "unimpressive" leadership and is "incompetent", said its new chair as she takes up her role. Dame Vera Baird has been appointed to head up the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC), which currently has serial child killer Lucy Letby's appeal in its inbox. The CCRC is an independent public body that reviews possible miscarriages of justice in the criminal courts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and refers cases to the appeal courts. The commission has had four critical reviews in the last 10 years, which Dame Vera said "all find the same thing". Speaking to Sky News after her appointment was announced, she said: "They don't communicate with applicants, are reluctant to challenge the Court of Appeal, they look for reasons not to refer rather than to refer and are quite often incompetent." Dame Vera is now charged with turning things around. She cites the example of Andrew Malkinson who was wrongly convicted of rape and spent 17 years in jail, when for most of that time DNA evidence had emerged that could have cleared his name. He had applied three times to the CCRC but was rejected twice on cost-benefit grounds. It's one of several cases leading to calls for "root and branch" reform of the CCRC from the Justice Committee, which said the watchdog "has shown a remarkable inability to learn from its own mistakes". An inquiry by Chris Henley KC also found that case workers missed multiple opportunities to help Malkinson. The previous chair, Helen Pitcher, was forced to resign in January and chief executive Karen Kneller told the committee of MPs they needed a strong replacement. Ms Kneller said in April: "We don't have that figurehead and without that figurehead I think it is difficult for the organisation." But that replacement did not think much of her evidence to MPs. "I didn't find her impressive," said Dame Vera, who will be meeting her new colleague next week. "I was really quite concerned about, first of all, the kind of fairly sketchy way in which she even allowed that they got it wrong in Malkinson, and these assertions that she was sorry that people only judged them by the mistakes, and they all took them very seriously, but actually they were otherwise doing a very good job. "My fear is that the attitude in the case of Malkinson and others, points to there being an attitude that's not positive, that's not mission-driven, that is not go-getter in other cases. So, are they getting it done properly?" A month later, a committee of MPs said Ms Kneller's position was no longer tenable. Committee chairman Andy Slaughter said: "As a result of our concerns regarding the performance of the CCRC and the unpersuasive evidence Karen Kneller provided to the committee, we no longer feel that it is tenable for her to continue as chief executive of the CCRC." 3:06 In February, the CCRC received an application from Lucy Letby, the former nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others. It's a high-profile, complex case, arriving at a significant moment of flux. Asked if she thought the CCRC could deal with it, Dame Vera said: "Remember I'm quite new to it. It will need complexity. It will need a team. It will need the readiness to commission reports, I would guess from what's been said about the lack of scientific value in some of the things that were asserted. "So it's going to be a very complex task." In the Baird Inquiry into Greater Manchester Police last year, Dame Vera strongly criticised the force. She has a reputation for exposing hard truths to institutions, but now she is the institution. She will need to drive the changes.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Criminal cases review body ‘must win back trust' as interim chairwoman announced
A former victims commissioner has been appointed as a chief of a legal body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice to 'win back' the trust it has lost from the public. Dame Vera Baird KC will become the interim chairwoman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which has been heavily criticised for its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case, one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British legal history. The barrister will take up the post from June 9 until December 8 next year, and is tasked with carrying out an urgent review into the running of the independent body and making sure lessons have been learnt from previous cases. The independent body is currently tasked with reviewing the convictions of serial child killer Lucy Letby. Announcing the move on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs: 'In recent years the commission has lost the trust of the public. 'It must now win it back. 'So today I have appointed Dame Vera Baird, a former victims commissioner, to be its interim chair. 'She will review the commission, its governance and leadership and ensure it delivers once more for those who have been victims of injustice.' Her appointment comes after former chairwoman Helen Pitcher resigned in January following Mr Malkinson's case but claimed she had been scapegoated. Mr Malkinson served 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, and was knocked back twice by the CCRC until his legal team carried out crucial DNA testing that was then repeated by the commission and led to his release. A review found that he could have been released 10 years earlier if the CCRC had obtained new DNA evidence as early as 2009, and thousands of cases are being reviewed in the wake of the bungled handling of the case. Last month, the Commons Justice Committee also warned that the position of the current chief executive of the CCRC, Karen Kneller, is no longer tenable. MPs said in a report it follows 'unpersuasive' evidence from her on the CCRC's challenges and response to public criticisms in April, and concerns on the performance of the review body. On her new role, Dame Vera said: 'It is vital the public can have confidence in an organisation whose constitutional importance is so central to a fair and just system. 'I look forward to working alongside the many hardworking and dedicated members of staff to restore that confidence, ensuring recommendations stemming from multiple reviews over the last decade are being effectively implemented, as well as identifying further areas for improvement.' A CCRC spokesperson said: 'Dame Vera brings decades of experience in the criminal justice system and a strong commitment to ensuring justice for all. 'Everyone at the CCRC looks forward to working with her to continue our mission to find, investigate and send potential miscarriages of justice back to the courts.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dame Vera Baird: Ex- Victims Commissioner to head legal appeals body
Dame Vera Baird, a former victims commissioner and government minister, has been appointed the new chair of the embattled Criminal Cases Review barrister, who has also been a Police and Crime Commissioner, will take up the post on an interim basis and lead a major review into the miscarriages of justice appointment comes after her predecessor, Helen Pitcher, quit after losing the confidence of the government in the fall-out from the wrongful conviction of Andy Malkinson spent 17 years in jail for a rape he did not commit and a damning review found that the CCRC had repeatedly failed to act on clear opportunities to help him clear his name. Wrongly jailed Andrew Malkinson gets first payoutThe Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that Dame Vera would be tasked with rebuilding public confidence in the agency and carrying out an urgent review into how the CCRC is being Mahmood said: "Miscarriages of justice have a devastating and life-long impact. The organisation tasked with uncovering them must earn back the public's trust in the justice system, vital to our plan for Change."Dame Vera will bring strong leadership to the Criminal Cases Review Commission."Dame Vera, a criminal barrister, became an MP in 2001 and was Solicitor General during Gordon Brown's administration between 2007 and 2010, one of the top legal posts in went on to become the PCC for Northumbria Police and then the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales between 2019 and Vera Baird said: "When the justice system makes mistakes, as all human institutions do, from time to time, the role of the CCRC is crucial in uncovering them."It is vital the public can have confidence in an organisation whose constitutional importance is so central to a fair and just system."I look forward to working alongside the many hardworking and dedicated members of staff to restore that confidence, ensuring recommendations stemming from multiple reviews over the last decade are being effectively implemented, as well as identifying further areas for improvement."Her interim appointment will run until December 2016 before a permanent appointment being made. The review she will head includes acting on the recommendations to correct the Malkinson failings and examining whether the organisation is correctly sending cases back to appeal judges for month, parliament's Justice Committee cast doubt on the CCRC's ability to learn from its mistakes, saying that it did not believe that chief executive Karen Kneller, who answers to the chair, should remain in post.A CCRC spokesperson said: "We are delighted that Dame Vera Baird DBE KC has been appointed interim Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission."Dame Vera brings decades of experience in the criminal justice system and a strong commitment to ensuring justice for all. Everyone at the CCRC looks forward to working with her to continue our mission to find, investigate and send potential miscarriages of justice back to the courts."
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Man exonerated after Manitoba court quashes murder convictions
The Manitoba Law Courts building in Winnipeg on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods WINNIPEG — An Indigenous man in Manitoba who spent more than two decades in prison has had his three murder convictions quashed and the charges stayed. Former justice minister David Lametti referred the case of Robert Sanderson to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in 2023 for a new hearing, saying there was a likely a miscarriage of justice. Innocence Canada, the group that applied for the ministerial review of the convictions based on new evidence, said the Appeal Court ordered a new trial Friday and the Crown stayed proceedings Monday in Court of King's Bench. James Lockyer, a founding director of Innocence Canada, said it has been a "long haul" for Sanderson and the organization. "We've known about his case for certainly more than a decade," Lockyer said in an interview. "Just took us awhile to get to it, but we did, and finally the case is over. So, big relief for him and for us." Sanderson and two others were charged in the 1996 killings of three men in Winnipeg. The bodies of Jason Gross, Thomas Krowetz and Stefan Zurstegge were found in a home on Aug. 6, 1996, by the father of one of the victims. Gross had blunt trauma injuries to the head and body and multiple stab wounds. Krowetz was shot three times and had at least three dozen stab wounds. Zurstegge was shot twice and stabbed 34 times. Sanderson was convicted the following year on three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. The Manitoba Court of Appeal Court dismissed his appeal in 1999, and he was later denied leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Innocence Canada said it applied to Lametti in 2017 for a review based on new evidence. An expert Crown witness had said hair found on one victim belonged to Sanderson based on microscopic analysis. But DNA testing later established that the hair came from someone else. Innocence Canada also said a witness to events before the killings who linked Sanderson to them was given more than $15,000 by authorities as part of an agreement after he testified at trial. It said this was not disclosed to Sanderson and the prosecution could not explain why. Sanderson was released on parole in 2021. Lockyer said Sanderson is now a free man and is not subject to anything to do with the killings anymore. "Of course, he served a lot of time on them and then was on parole for another four years, but that's in the past," Lockyer said. Sanderson now lives in British Columbia and is an artist. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. The Canadian Press
