Cullen, Darren

Darren Cullen was convicted in October 2004 of murder and received a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years.

The CCRC received an application for review of Mr Cullen’s sentence in February 2008.

During review, the CCRC obtained new expert psychiatric evidence indicating that Mr Cullen had been suffering from a depressive illness at the time of the offence.

The CCRC considered that had this been known at sentencing, it would have been a significant mitigating factor for the judge to consider when setting Mr Cullen’s minimum term of imprisonment.

The CCRC concluded there was a real possibility that the Court of Appeal would substitute Mr Cullen’s minimum term for a lower one.

The CCRC referred the sentence in May 2008.

The Court of Appeal quashed the minimum term of 16 years in September 2008 and substituted it for one of 15 years.