Mr GJ

Mr GJ was convicted in October 2004 of murder and received a sentence of life imprisonment with a tariff of 12 years and 26 days.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in October 2014.

During review, the CCRC obtained fresh expert forensic, pathological and neuropathological evidence. This new material indicated that the jury at trial may have been left with an inaccurate impression of the medical cause of the death of the victim.

The CCRC concluded that had this new expert evidence been presented to the jury in a fair and balanced way, the jury may not have reached the same verdict.

In addition, the CCRC found that the trial judge’s directions on cause of death failed to adequately draw the jury’s attention to the implications of evidence suggesting that Mr GJ had taken steps to ensure that he placed the deceased in a safe recovery position.

The CCRC referred the conviction in May 2020.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in January 2021 and ordered a retrial.