Richards, Darrell

Darrell Richards was convicted in November 1999 of manslaughter and received a sentence of life imprisonment.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in January 2002.

Mr Richards had assisted “Mr B” to inject heroin, in consequence of which Mr B died.

The jury at trial were directed that the offence was made out if they were satisfied that Mr Richards had supplied the drug to Mr B because that in itself was a sufficiently unlawful act for the offence of manslaughter.

This direction correctly reflected the law as then understood.

However, in a subsequent case of a similar nature it was decided that the act causing death was the self-injection, which was not an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The possession and supply of the drug in such circumstances was a separate act and was not causative of death.

Mr Richards’ conviction was referred by the CCRC in March 2002 on the basis of this change in law.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in December 2002.