CCRC refers woman’s murder conviction to Court of Appeal following new witness credibility evidence
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred the murder conviction of a woman to the Court of Appeal because post-trial evidence undermines the credibility of a prosecution witness.
Melanie Wright was convicted on 27 November 2020 at Peterborough Crown Court of the murder of her husband Nigel Wright. She received a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years.
Mr Wright had been found dead in May 2020 in the flat he shared with his wife and their lodger, Barry Chapman. He had died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Mr Chapman was also charged and convicted of murder. The prosecution alleged that Mr Chapman had been the main assailant, but that Ms Wright had joined in, with the same intention to cause at least serious harm.
Ms Wright’s application for leave to appeal was abandoned and the CCRC received an application for review of the conviction and sentence in August 2021.
During the review, the CCRC considered new evidence that impacted the credibility of a prosecution witness. The evidence of this witness had been important to the case against Ms Wright at trial.
In the context of the case, the witness’s account might reasonably have affected the jury’s decision on whether it could be sure that Ms Wright was guilty of murder.
In these circumstances, the CCRC has decided that there is a real possibility the Court of Appeal will find Ms Wright’s conviction unsafe.
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Notes to Editors:
- 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.
- There are currently ten 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.
- 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.
- 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 argument or evidence 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”.
- If a case is referred, it is then for the appeal court to decide whether the conviction is unsafe.
- 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.