Warren Blackwell spent three years in jail after being falsely accused of sex attack

Warren Blackwell spent three years in jail after being falsely accused of sex attack

www.heraldsun.com.au

BRITAIN's police watchdog blasted official handling of a case in which an innocent man was jailed for more than three years for a crime he did not commit.

Warren Blackwell, 40, was jailed in 1999 for a sex attack outside a social club. He was released in 2003 and his conviction was quashed on appeal in 2006, after new evidence undermined the credibility of the complainant.

A report published by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) unveiled a catalogue of errors made by Northamptonshire Police, in central England, that contributed to the miscarriage of justice.

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Well done, Lady Justice. Another blight on your unclean record.

Northamptonshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Derek Talbot apologised to Blackwell in person earlier this week.

But Mr Blackwell said it was "too little, too late".

"At the end of the day it was just a token gesture," he said.

"It's been frustrating, the length of time it has taken to draw a line under it, and I don't think I'm quite there yet."

He said the IPCC report was "damning" and that he was taking legal advice on whether or not to bring a damages claim against the force.

How much should Blackwell be compensated? (It's not a question of if he should be compensated.) Which police officers should be punished for their screw up?

www.heraldsun.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 18-6-2010 by tezzajw]

These cases need to be looked at ever so carefully.

Anything without DNA evedence should be summarily dismissed.

In this case the complainer should go to jail for 6 years.