 |
Press Releases
Father of young man murdered 26 years ago calls for release of person convicted of killing
|
The father of a young man murdered 26 years ago has called for the release of
the person convicted of killing him.
听
John Suffield was brutally murdered inside a bookmaker's on Lodge Lane in
Toxteth, Liverpool in 1981.
听
His father, also called John, makes an emotional plea on 成人论坛 One's Inside Out
North West for the release of Raymond Gilbert, the man convicted of his son's
murder.
听
"I think it's time Raymond Gilbert was released from prison. I think he's done
enough time," says John Suffield.
听
"Over half of your life is a long time to
spend in prison and somebody should be taking steps to resolve the future of
Raymond Gilbert.
听
"If he knocked at my front door now I'd welcome him into my
home.
听
"He's served the required term of punishment as a deterrent and I am at a
loss to know what he's been doing in prison for the last 12 years, long
past his expected time of release." 听
John Suffield Junior, 23, was killed during a robbery at the Joe Coral
Bookmaker's.
听
Within three days, Merseyside Police had arrested Raymond Gilbert.
听
Gilbert, who was 22, was interrogated by detectives for 48 hours without a
solicitor present. The interviews were not taped.
听
During that time he changed
his statement several times.
听
He admitted the murder and named an accomplice
called John Kamara.
听
There was nothing to link either man to the scene of the crime, no forensic
evidence, and the eyewitnesses failed to identify them.
听
As soon as Gilbert was allowed to speak to a solicitor he protested his
innocence.
听
At the start of the murder trial he pleaded not guilty but suddenly
changed his plea to guilty during the third re-trial.
听
He has now spent the last
26 years denying his guilt.
听
The judge sentenced Raymond Gilbert and John Kamara to life imprisonment.
Gilbert was told he must serve a minimum of 15 years in jail.
听
The case of Gilbert and Kamara took a new twist in March 2000 when Kamara's
conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal after he had served 19 years.
听
Gilbert was denied leave to appeal because of his earlier guilty plea.
听
John Suffield has doubts about the conviction.
听
He tells Inside Out: "Raymond
Gilbert pleaded guilty and one would say that's the strongest evidence, but the
doubts have been placed in my mind.
听
"Psychiatrists doubt that this was a
reasonable confession. They say it bears all the hallmarks of a false
confession.
听
"There's other evidence which makes me doubt that Raymond Gilbert
was involved in the murder of my son.
听
"Nobody wants an innocent man to be kept
in prison for a crime that he might not have committed or indeed did not
commit."
听
Solicitor Campbell Malone has represented many prisoners who have been the
victims of miscarriages of justice.
听
He believes Raymond Gilbert should no
longer be in jail.
听
"Gilbert would have been out of prison ten years ago had he
been prepared to admit his guilt but he doesn't," says Malone.
听
"When you look
at the case carefully there is little else against him except what has come out
of his own mouth."
听
Merseyside Police say they have no comment to make on Raymond Gilbert's case.
听
The Parole Board for England and Wales confirm he is unlikely to be considered
for parole for several years.
听
Notes to Editors
听
If using any of the above please credit: Inside Out North West, Friday 23 February, 7.30pm, 成人论坛 One.
听
HH2
听
|
Printable version