Adetoro, David
David Adetoro was convicted in June 1998 at Manchester Crown Court of conspiracy to rob and received a sentence of 26 years’ imprisonment, reduced on appeal to 22 years.
The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in April 2004.
Mr Adetoro was one of seven defendants charged with conspiracy to rob or associated offences arising from a series of robberies committed in the Manchester area between June 1995 and March 1997.
Five of Mr Adetoro’s co-accused entered guilty pleas and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. Charges against a seventh defendant were not proceeded with.
It was not disputed that a conspiracy to commit robbery existed. The issue for the jury was whether Mr Adetoro was party to the conspiracy.
Following review, the CCRC concluded that the trial judge did not direct the jury that they could draw an adverse inference from Mr Adetoro’s silence in interview only if they were satisfied that the reason for his silence was that he had no innocent explanation for the matters then being put to him.
The judge’s direction in relation to adverse inferences was deficient when compared with the existing guidelines.
The CCRC considered that these matters amounted to a significant misdirection.
The CCRC referred the conviction in July 2005.
The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in June 2006.