Bain, Alfred

Alfred Bain was convicted in February 1971 of murder and received a sentence of life imprisonment.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in April 1999.

At trial, the prosecution’s case had been greatly assisted by demonstrable and varied lies told by Mr Bain about his activities around the time of the offence.

Following review, the CCRC concluded that the trial judge’s directions to the jury on the significance of lies did not conform with contemporary authority and still less with later authorities.

This included that juries should be directed to be cautious in assuming that lies are evidence of guilt.

As this was an issue that had received emphasis in the trial, the CCRC referred the conviction in October 2000.

The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in December 2003.