Thomas, Michael

Michael Thomas was convicted in July 1994 of robbery, possession of a firearm, and breach of a probation order. Mr Thomas received a sentence of four years’ imprisonment.

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

At trial, witnesses for the prosecution had included 11 police officers, nine of whom were serving in the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad based at Rigg Approach.

The CCRC considered that the credibility of these officers was central to the prosecution’s case that Mr Thomas had been the perpetrator of an armed robbery of a betting shop (and not an innocent bystander).

Following the trial, in the late 1990s, the Complaints Investigation Bureau of the Metropolitan Police conducted a major inquiry into allegations of corruption at Rigg Approach (Operation Spain).

Two officers admitted serious criminal offences and made allegations that many of their colleagues had engaged in similar behaviour.

As a result, 25 other officers were charged with criminal offences or suspended from duty pending investigation (“A officers”).

A further group of officers , whilst not proactive in the commission of offences, were subject to a ‘general taint’ (“B officers'”).

It emerged that on occasions officers used fabricated or planted evidence to secure convictions.

In this case, the conviction rested substantially upon the evidence of three “A” officers, undermining the credibility of that evidence and the credibility of the officers as witnesses of truth.

The CCRC referred the conviction in September 2002.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in May 2003.