Andrew Malkinson, who was wrongly imprisoned for 17 years, is calling for a thorough investigation into the police following the conviction of the true perpetrator of a brutal rape case. Paul Quinn, aged 52, was found guilty of a 2003 sexual assault that Andrew was mistakenly jailed for. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating five former Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers and one current officer in connection with the case. Additionally, both the chair and chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) have resigned.
A public inquiry is currently underway after a review in 2024 exposed failures that could have cleared Andrew’s name about ten years prior to his eventual release. Andrew’s case is considered one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
Expressing his demand for accountability, Andrew stated to The Sunday Times that the police deliberately ignored evidence of his innocence, suppressed crucial information, and obstructed his attempts to prove his innocence. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation and full transparency regarding the handling of his case.
Following a six-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, Quinn was found guilty of assaulting a young mother in Salford in 2003. Despite Andrew’s consistent claims of innocence, he was wrongly identified in an identity parade and incarcerated. Moreover, when doubts were raised by the victim during the trial, the police dismissed them as insignificant.
New DNA evidence analyzed in 2007 excluded Andrew as the perpetrator, a fact that should have raised concerns earlier. Quinn, a known sex offender since the age of 12, was arrested nearly two decades after the initial trial when his DNA profile matched saliva found on the victim’s clothing.
Andrew, who hails from Grimsby, was finally released in 2020 after years of failed appeals. His conviction was ultimately overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2023. Reflecting on his ordeal, Andrew expressed relief and hoped for justice for the victim as well.
Andrew’s mother, Trish Hose, described her son as deeply affected by the injustice he endured. She criticized the Greater Manchester Police and the Criminal Cases Review Commission for their negligence in handling the evidence properly. She expressed concern for the victim who believed her attacker was already behind bars.
Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker of GMP issued a public apology to both the victim and Andrew, acknowledging the delayed justice in this distressing case.