HC Deb 02 February 1976 vol 904 cc425-6W
Mr. Lawrence

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he

Case No. Offences Date of conviction Date of dismissal of appeal, or refusal of application for leave to appeal by the Full Court Date on which conviction quashed
1 1. Conspiracy 18th December 1962 15th may 1963 27th July 1964 (all counts)
2. Demanding money with menaces
3. Possessing an offensive weapon
2* Having an offensive weapon in a public place 22nd July 196310th December 1963 20th December 1963
3 Shopbreaking and larceny 18th June 1964 20th October 1964 26th July 1965†
4 1. Burglary and larceny 13th September 1966 4th May 1967 28th May 1968 (counts 1 and 2 only)
2. Shopbreaking and larceny
3. Larceny in a dwelling house
5 Possessing and uttering forged banknotes 11th July 1968 15th January 1969 16th May 1969
6 Murder 1st July 1969 29th May 1970 15th February 1973 (verdict of manslaughter substituted)
7 Murder 19th March 1970 26th February 1971 13th November 1973
8 1. Conspiracy to rob 5th November 1970 16th December 1971 12th October 1973 (both counts)
2. Robbery
9‡ 1. Manslaughter (by reason of diminished responsibility) 24th November 1972 26th July 1973 17th October 1975 (counts 1 and 2 only)
2. Arson
3. Arson
10‡ 1. Murder 24th November 1972 26th July 1973 17th October 1975 (counts 1 and 3 only)
2. Burglary
3. Arson
4. Arson
11 Theft 22nd February 1973 12th July 1973 14th March 1974
12 1. Arson 11th May 1973 25th March 1974 14th April 1975 (both counts)
2. Conspiracy to defraud
* In this case 2 defendants were tried jointly.
† A retrial was ordered, which resulted in an acquittal or 6th August 1965.
‡ In these cases the defendants were tried jointly on some of the charges including that of murder.
will list, with references to the Law Reports, the criminal cases over the past 25 years in which, the Court of Appeal or the Court of Criminal Appeal have dismissed an appeal against conviction, it was subsequently held following a Home Office Review, a Section 17 reference or by any other means, that the conviction should no longer stand.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

Most of the information asked for could not be obtained without disproportionate expenditure. The table below gives the information that is readily available about cases referred to the Court of Appeal under Section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 or, previously, to the Court of Criminal Appeal under Section 19(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1907. I think it would be better not to publish the names of the defendants in these cases but I will give them to the hon. Member if he wishes to have any of them.