CCRC refers former policeman’s assault convictions to the Court of Appeal 

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred the assault convictions of a former police officer because evidence that was not available at trial raises a real possibility the Court of Appeal will now quash those convictions.  

Danny Major was convicted on 1 November 2006 at Bradford Crown Court of battery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was acquitted of a third count of assault and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. 

Mr Major, who was then a Police Constable with West Yorkshire Police, was accused of assaulting a detainee in the van dock and in a cell at Leeds Bridewell Police Station in the early hours of 6 September 2003.  

Following conviction, Mr Major was granted leave to appeal but this was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 12 July 2007.  

In September 2007, Mr Major applied to the CCRC. The CCRC’s review carefully considered extensive submissions.  

On 2 August 2011, the CCRC issued a detailed Final Statement of Reasons setting out its decision not to refer Mr Major’s case to the Court of Appeal. 

In 2013, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) began an independent review of Mr Major’s conviction named Operation Lamp. In December 2015, the review’s report concluded that there was fresh evidence that cast doubt upon the safety of Mr Major’s conviction. The CCRC subsequently launched a new review of the case.  

In 2016, on the recommendation of the Lamp report, GMP launched Operation Redhill as a criminal investigation of the events that led to Mr Major’s conviction.  

The CCRC decided that it was not possible to progress its review of Mr Major’s convictions whilst the first phase of Operation Redhill was underway. The CCRC therefore closed Mr Major’s case on the understanding that it would consider reopening it at the conclusion of this first phase.  

In February 2020, the CCRC re-commenced its review. As part of a detailed investigation, the CCRC considered evidence that gives rise to a real possibility the Court of Appeal will now find Mr Major’s convictions are unsafe and will quash them.  

[ENDS] 

Notes to Editors: 

1. The CCRC is an independent body set up under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It is responsible for independently reviewing suspected and alleged miscarriages of criminal justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is based in Birmingham and is funded by the Ministry of Justice.     

2. There are currently nine Commissioners who bring to the CCRC considerable experience from a wide variety of backgrounds. Commissioners are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.  

3. The CCRC usually receives around 1,500 applications for reviews (convictions and/or sentences) each year. Since starting work in 1997, the CCRC has referred around 3% of applications to the appeal courts.     

4. The CCRC considers whether, as a result of new evidence or argument, there is a real possibility that the conviction would not be upheld were a reference to be made. New evidence or argument is that which has not been raised during the trial or on appeal.  Applicants should usually have appealed first. A case can be referred in the absence of new evidence or argument or an earlier appeal only if there are “exceptional circumstances”.    

5. If a case is referred, it is then for the appeal court to decide whether the conviction is unsafe.     

6. More details about the role and work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission can be found at www.ccrc.gov.uk. The CCRC can be found on X, Facebook, Instagram (@the_ccrc) and LinkedIn.