The police watchdog has began an investigation into the best way detectives dealt with complaints made by the authorized crew of a person wrongfully convicted of rape.
Andrew Malkinson, who served 17 years in jail for a rape he didn’t commit, had his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal in July.
The complaints relate to an allegation concerning the failure to retain gadgets of proof and the failure to disclose info relating to 2 witnesses who gave proof to the trial, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) mentioned.
It mentioned its casework crew “highlighted significant issues” with Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into the complaints and “identified several outstanding lines of inquiry”.
IOPC director of operations Amanda Rowe mentioned: “Given our issues over Greater Manchester Police’s dealing with of the complaints – and the numerous public curiosity in a case that led to a person spending 17 years in jail for against the law he did not commit – our involvement will guarantee there may be thorough scrutiny of the actions of police concerned.
“Our investigation, which will be carried out independently of the police, will focus on the specific allegations raised in Mr Malkinson’s complaints.
“We are usually not reviewing the unique felony investigation, nor do now we have the ability to take action.
“We are in contact with the government about its broader inquiry into the wrongful conviction. We will continue to work with the chair and inquiry team so that our work and theirs is aligned to ensure that the actions of GMP are fully examined.”
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An inquiry was ordered into the dealing with of Mr Malkinson’s case final month.
While it’s impartial, it isn’t statutory and subsequently isn’t capable of compel folks to come back earlier than it.
Greater Manchester Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will all have their roles in Mr Malkinson’s conviction and imprisonment reviewed.
At the time Mr Malkinson mentioned: “I spent over 17 years wrongly imprisoned and so I hope that my lawyers and I will be given the opportunity to feed into the inquiry’s terms of reference.
“I needed to take the police to court docket twice to drive them handy over proof.
“The CCRC has so far refused to apologise and take accountability. So, naturally, I am concerned that witnesses from these agencies may not cooperate and hand over all the evidence.”
He added: “If there is any obstruction by the agencies involved, then the inquiry needs to be made statutory so that they can be compelled to hand over evidence.
“I wish to see severe, profound modifications in our justice system popping out of this. My case reveals that the police can’t be trusted to analyze impartially or act as devoted gatekeepers to the proof.”
Source: information.sky.com”