Boyle, Christopher

Christopher Boyle was convicted in May 1999 of murder and received a sentence of life imprisonment.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in December 2003.

At trial, Mr Boyle relied on matters which he had failed to mention when questioned by police following his arrest.

The trial judge did not direct the jury that they could only draw an adverse inference from Mr Boyle’s silence in interview if they were satisfied that the reason for his silence was him having no innocent explanation for the matters being put to him.

In addition, the judge did not give a clear direction explaining which of the “facts” relied on by Mr Boyle in his defence that he had not mentioned in interview might justify the drawing of an adverse inference.

The CCRC concluded that these matters amounted to a significant misdirection.

The CCRC referred the conviction in August 2004.

The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in August 2006.