Ian Lawless could be compensated for wrongful murder conviction
IAN Lawless has been told he can seek compensation for serving almost eight years in prison for a murder he did not commit.
Mr Lawless was convicted in 2002 of killing a wrongly- suspected paedophile, Alfred Wilkins, 67, in an arson attack on his home in Arundel Walk, on Grimsby's Yarborough Estate.
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Ian Lawless
But he was released in 2009 after his conviction was quashed by the Court Of Appeal.
His conviction was based on alleged confessions he made to friends and acquaintances, a taxi driver and a fellow prison inmate in the run-up to his trial.
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But after hearing fresh psychological evidence which came to light since the trial, three top judges at the Court Of Appeal said his conviction was unsafe.
The Justice Secretary had previously rejected his claim for compensation.
But that decision was deemed legally flawed by the High Court yesterday, and will now be revisited.
Mr Lawless's solicitor Mark Newby said his client could be in line for a "substantial" payout, possibly in excess of £100,000. Describing himself as "absolutely delighted" at the ruling, Mr Newby said: "It is a step in the right direction and a recognition by the state of what has gone wrong. For the length of time Mr Lawless spent in prison I expect the sum would be in excess of £100,000. It would be a substantial amount.
"Mr Lawless has struggled with his life on the outside. He continues to do quite well but he has obviously got a number of problems and any settlement will help provide for his future."
Mr Lawless's claim was one of five test cases assembled to decide who is now entitled to payments in "miscarriage of justice" cases following a landmark decision by the Supreme Court in May 2011.
Barry George, who spent eight years in prison after being wrongly convicted of the murder of TV presenter Jill Dando, lost his bid for compensation.
Decisions in all five cases to refuse payouts were defended by current Justice Secretary Chris Grayling in a three-day hearing last October.
7 Comments
by Jasbee
Sunday, February 03 2013, 9:45PM
“In Canada he would be awarded Millions. Even if he die confess, he is the victim of poor judgment by several individuals.”
by EWW01
Saturday, January 26 2013, 1:50PM
“An individual who has played the system for years and the tax payer of which I doubt he has ever been or will be left to pay for his ' multi admissions of having committed the murder which some trick cyclist claims he made because of an illness.
The three Judges are obviously not the three Wise Men.”
by C&0 holdings
Saturday, January 26 2013, 11:58AM
“Congratulations on him for winning the case. They took 8 years of his life for a crime that has now been proven he never committed. Regardless of the circumstances, he shouldn't if been in there, the system failed to recognise that the conviction was unsafe. No amount of money can replace those 8 years, but at least he can have a comfortable life now.”
by pedro100
Saturday, January 26 2013, 11:23AM
“It is high time that victims of crime were compensated and not the perpetrators, if Mr Lawless is innocent and has never commited a crime then compensation should be allowed. I cannot see why he should get compensation when Barry George cannot.”
by Wilderness
Saturday, January 26 2013, 11:06AM
“He could be compensated by having the tax he pays each year on his wages refunded.”
by Brutto
Saturday, January 26 2013, 8:44AM
“Whats the difference between Lawless and Barry George ?”
by animal_owner
Saturday, January 26 2013, 5:55AM
“Would have thought he would want to put it all behind him and not dredge up the past again”