Betts, Matthew

Matthew Betts was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating at St Albans Magistrates’ Court in January 2020. He was sentenced to two fines and a restraining order in respect of the victim. 

The offences occurred in January and February 2019 and Mr Betts had been arrested in March 2019 and questioned by police.  

After he was convicted, Mr Betts applied to the Crown Court to apply for an extension of time to appeal his conviction. This was refused in September 2021. 

Mr Betts applied to the CCRC in November 2021 with four submissions, which included details about the victim’s interview with the police, where she allegedly said she did not want to make any allegations against him. 

During the detailed review by the CCRC a report was discovered that was not disclosed to Mr Betts’ defence at the time of his conviction. The report included three individual accounts of the incident, which had they been made available previously would have assisted Mr Betts’ defence. 

Importantly, there were discrepancies between the undisclosed accounts by the prosecution witnesses, and the disclosed accounts. 

The CCRC concluded that if there were to be a re-hearing of Mr Betts’ case at the Crown Court, there was a real possibility he would not be convicted of either of the two offences. 

The CCRC referred the conviction and sentence in January 2026.