Roy Meads

Years in prison:
10
Year of crime:
1984
Year conviction was overturned:
1996

John Cummiskey and Roy Meads were convicted of armed robbery after a post office security van was robbed of bags of money containing £185,000. The attack on the van was carried out by three masked men with firearms who were weating Royal Mail capes. In interview, Cummiskey purportedly made admissions which, if true, would have indicated he must be guilty. Meads was also alleged to have made damaging admissions. Following the trial it came to light that there had been corruption in that police force. On appeal, it was argued that had this been known at trial, it would have been possible to cross-examine the officers involves inthe case and to put to them questions about their misconduct. The court concluded that the appeal would be allowed because evidence from the police interviews could not be relied upon and the other material in the case could not justify a conviction.

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  • Offence: Robbery / burglary
  • Jurisdiction: England & Wales
  • County: West Midlands 
  • Ethnicity: Unknown
  • Gender: M
  • Years in prison: 10
  • Offence convicted of: Armed Robbery
  • Year of crime: 1984
  • Year of initial conviction: 1985
  • Year conviction was overturned: 1996
  • Age when imprisoned: Unknown
  • CCRC Referral: Y
  • Tried with others: Y
  • Type of fresh evidence at appeal: Evidence casting doubt on the integrity of police
  • Compensation: Unknown
  • Crown argued case at CofA: Unknown
  • Retrial: No
  • Previous appeals: Unsuccessful appeal in 1987; unsuccessful application for leave to appeal

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