A little bit of justice
Jul. 31st, 2012 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lovingbothIn 2006, the body of a Polish woman was found in a lake in Bedford. Her boyfriend was convicted of her murder the next year, based largely on a expert's opinion that CCTV showed that, on the way to the lake, she had been carrying the handbag that was found in his flat. The following year, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal because of issues with that evidence and in 2009, quashed the conviction.
I remember the case well - the crucial video plus a couple of reconstructions was shown in a programme investigating it and it was clear to me that she was not carrying the bag.
So I wasn't surprised when the CPS decided not to have a retrial, but the Bedfordshire Police issued a press statement saying, basically, 'we think he killed her'. He sued for libel.
He won last month: the judge agreed 'it is clear beyond reasonable doubt' that 'there is absolutely no support for the contention that there was a handbag' in the video and 'while it is possible that (he) killed (her), the balance of probabilities is that he did not and that she committed suicide'.
I remember the case well - the crucial video plus a couple of reconstructions was shown in a programme investigating it and it was clear to me that she was not carrying the bag.
So I wasn't surprised when the CPS decided not to have a retrial, but the Bedfordshire Police issued a press statement saying, basically, 'we think he killed her'. He sued for libel.
He won last month: the judge agreed 'it is clear beyond reasonable doubt' that 'there is absolutely no support for the contention that there was a handbag' in the video and 'while it is possible that (he) killed (her), the balance of probabilities is that he did not and that she committed suicide'.