Desmond Dinnell
Years in prison:
2.5
Year of crime:
2002
Year conviction was overturned:
2009
Desomond Dinnell was convicted of rape. The complainant (who was 15 years old) had been out with her friend. Both had become extremely intoxicated. She gave an account of feeling her clothes being removed and then falling asleep. She said she woke to find someone having sex with her. She identified Dinnell as her attacker in court. On appeal, fresh DNA evidence showed DNA from three separate male donors, but not from Dinnell. The court concluded that had this evidence been available to the jury, they would have been bound to acquit.
View Press (www.scottishlegal.com)
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- Jurisdiction: Scotland
- County: Unknown
- Ethnicity: Unknown
- Gender: M
- Years in prison: 2.5
- Offence convicted of: Rape
- Year of crime: 2002
- Year of initial conviction: 2002
- Year conviction was overturned: 2009
- Affirmative evidence of innocence: Y
- Age when imprisoned: 28
- CCRC Referral: N
- Tried with others: N
- Link to full case: https://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/2015/2015CSIH7.html (considering compensation)
- Type of fresh evidence at appeal: DNA evidence
- Compensation: No
- Link to compensation: https://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/2015/2015CSIH7.html
- Crown argued case at CofA: Unknown
- Retrial: No
- Previous appeals: Unknown