It has been nearly 18 months since Jason Moore submitted important new proof to the miscarriage of justice watchdog in a bid to overturn his homicide conviction, however he’s nonetheless no nearer to freedom.
The solely witness to the crime had revealed he was drunk and was undecided if he recognized the suitable man in an astonishing admission which Moore hopes might lastly clear his identify after 12 years in jail for a criminal offense he insists he didn’t commit.
But in practically a yr and a half, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which has simply been put beneath “urgent review” by the justice secretary, has didn’t even converse to the witness.
Frustrated on the lack of motion, the Right Reverend Dr Joanne Grenfell, Bishop of Stepney, stepped in to assist. When she tried to contact Abdul Ahmed, who in 2023 revealed his doubts to an investigative journalist, she discovered him at residence after merely knocking on his entrance door twice, The Independent can reveal.
The bishop stated the failure to hold out essentially the most fundamental enquiries leaves her “seriously concerned about the ability of the CCRC to do justice for anyone” as Moore languishes in jail.
“It wasn’t that difficult. I went in the morning and he was there,” stated Bishop Grenfell, who’s backing Moore’s marketing campaign for freedom.
“It’s quite incredible that no one has been persistent in doing that. He clearly lives there and has lived there for quite a while.”
She stated the CCRC’s efforts to contact Mr Ahmed have been “not good enough” as she hit out on the overview physique, which has come beneath sustained hearth for its dealing with of different circumstances, together with that of Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in jail for a rape he didn’t commit.
Last week, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood put in former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird as interim chair and ordered her to hold out an pressing overview of the physique, whose chief government Karen Kneller has admitted she solely goes to the workplace “maybe one or two days every couple of months or so” whereas drawing a taxpayer-funded wage of £130,000.
MPs final month referred to as for her to step down after she was accused of deceptive the justice committee as they quizzed her over the CCRC’s dealing with of Mr Malkinson’s wrongful conviction.
An investigation led by Chris Henley KC discovered he might have been exonerated 10 years earlier if not for severe failings by the overview board.
He stated it was “absolutely shocking” that investigators had failed to ascertain contact with Mr Ahmed in 18 months since Moore’s utility, including: “Nobody should have to have to wait that amount of time.”
He instructed The Independent the CCRC wants “energetic, focused and rigorous leadership” to correctly examine alleged miscarriages of justice.
“Every day when there’s a lethargic approach – and there was lots of this in Mr Malkinson’s case – is a day someone is losing from their life and that has to be at the forefront of the work of the CCRC,” he instructed The Independent.
In a message from HMP Oakwood in Wolverhampton, Moore accused the CCRC’s leaders of treating “people’s lives like they are toys”, including: “To keep people in prison when you have evidence that exonerates them is a form of evil that needs to be squashed.”
His sister Kirstie described the CCRC as “shambolic” as she hit out at a string of excuses from the commissioner, who is meant to be inspecting his case.
“My brother’s freedom hinges on the independence and diligence of the CCRC,” she instructed The Independent.
“They are our last hope when justice fails. Yet 18 months have passed, and the CCRC has nothing to show – no sign of a single effort, only a relentless succession of excuses. And still, Jason is the one paying the price for their weary resignation and neglect.
“To ‘try’ means to act – and thank God for Bishop Joanne Grenfell, who did just that. She knocked twice, and her efforts brought the witness to the door.”
Moore, a former skilled gambler, 53, claims he has been wrongly convicted of the 2005 stabbing of Robert Darby outdoors a pub in London’s East End.
A string of high-profile supporters, together with Mr Darby’s brother, Bishop Grenfell and cricket legend Sir Ian Botham, have backed his bid to overturn his conviction
Miscarriage of justice campaigner Lord Nicholas Monson, who has visited Moore in jail and is backing his combat, stated such apathy makes it seem to be the CCRC merely “doesn’t care”.
“These people are put in jobs to root out injustice and they are doing the opposite,” he added.
Chair of the parliamentary justice committee Andy Slaughter welcomed the appointment of Dame Vera to hold out a “much-needed” overview of the CCRC, after the committee outlined “strong concerns about how investigations were operating” in a report final month.
A CCRC spokesperson stated: “We have received an application in relation to this case and a review is underway.
“We have made repeated efforts to contact all related events. These efforts will proceed.
“It would be inappropriate for us to discuss the application further at this stage.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/jason-moore-ccrc-murder-miscarriage-justice-campaign-b2769766.html