Smith, Charlie

Charlie Smith was convicted in October 1977 of murder and received a sentence of life imprisonment.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in October 1999.

During review, the CCRC obtained fresh expert psychiatric evidence, not available at the time of trial, that at the time of the offence Mr Smith had a condition which substantially diminished his responsibility for his behaviour.

The CCRC considered that there was therefore a real possibility the court would quash Mr Smith’s murder conviction and substitute it for a manslaughter conviction by reason of diminished responsibility.

The referred the conviction in December 2000.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in March 2002 and substituted it for a conviction of manslaughter.