INUK calls for murder case appeal to be heard

The Innocence Network UK (INUK), which is based at the University of Bristol, has published a dossier of 45 cases which it believes should be heard in the Court of Appeal.

Among them is the conviction of Kevin Lane for the the murder of Robert Magill, who was shot dead in Chorleywood while out walking his dog in 1996.

The main evidence against Lane was a fingerprint found on a binliner in the boot of the getaway car. Lane maintains his innocence, explaining that he had borrowed a BMW from a friend and used it to take his girlfriend and sons to see his mother.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission, established to review alleged miscarriages of justice, refused to refer his case to be heard in the Court of Appeal.

Currently, the CCRC can only refer cases back to the Court of Appeal if there is a "real possibility" that the conviction would be overturned.

The other 44 cases in the file consists of prisoners who are serving life or long-term sentences for serious offences, for murder, armed robbery, rape and other sexual offences.

In total they have spent 520 years behind bars, costing 15 million pounds, according to INUK.

Dr Michael Naughton, Founder and Director of INUK, said: "The crimes that these men and women are convicted of are appalling.

"But if they are genuinely innocent, it means that the dangerous criminals who committed these crimes remain at liberty with the potential to commit further serious crimes."

The dossier released by INUK suggests reforms to the Criminal Cases Review Commission need to be made to ensure that such cases can be more adequately dealt with.

Gabe Tan is the Executive Director of INUK, added: "Many of the prisoners in the dossier have served two or even three decades in prison.

"The Criminal Cases Review Commission is unable to help them despite strengths in their claims of innocence. Unless the existing arrangements are reformed, these cases are never going away."