APPG on Miscarriages of Justice

A Westminster session of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Miscarriages of Justice heard powerful evidence accusing the Court of Appeal of repeatedly failing to learn from historic miscarriages of justice. Three men, Peter Sullivan, Justin Plummer, and Oliver Campbell, who together spent 77 years wrongfully imprisoned, described how the court ignored the systemic failings that led to their convictions, and how none have received any compensation for the years they lost.

Their lawyers and supporters criticised the justice system for lacking any culture of learning from past mistakes. Solicitor Glyn Maddocks KC compared the approach unfavourably to other sectors, noting that while aviation or rail accidents trigger serious investigations, miscarriages of justice repeatedly occur without structural change or accountability. APPG chair Kim Johnson MP called for urgent reform of the “unconscionable cruelty” of the current compensation regime and highlighted the near-total absence of support for people after their release.

Read more in The Justice Gap