Mr GK

Mr GK was convicted in July 1989 of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and received a sentence of life detention with a restriction order under the Mental Health Act 1983.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in April 1998.

During investigation, the CCRC considered that aside from a confession statement, there was little evidence connecting Mr GK with the crime.

Mr GK had been interrogated over five interviews until he made a confession statement.

Despite Mr GK having severe learning difficulties, no “appropriate adult” was made available at interview even though the interviews had taken place after the introduction of the Police and Crime Evidence Act 1984 which required an appropriate adult to attend interviews of vulnerable suspects.

No solicitor was present at the first two interviews.

Mr GK’s learning difficulties were known at trial but the prosecution argued that no point should be taken against police for failing to summon an appropriate adult as they had been unaware of these difficulties.

The CCRC’s investigations revealed a document in police files that afforded powerful evidence that the police had in fact been aware of these difficulties at interview but had elected to continue despite obvious vulnerabilities.

The CCRC considered this information had an impact on the integrity of the police officers conducting the investigation and cast doubt on the police’s claim that they had not fed details of the murder to Mr GK during unrecorded interviews.

The CCRC referred the conviction in August 2002.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in November 2003.