Geoffrey Bindman QC issues a warning to the government concerning miscarriages of justice
The death of Gerry Conlon at the early age of 60 reminds us of the appalling consequences of miscarriages of justice. Tragically, these are often prolonged and made even more damaging by the obstinate determination of those in power to defend the indefensible. Gerry Conlon and his co-accused—the “Guildford Four”—served 17 years in prison for a crime of which they were entirely innocent. It later came to light that evidence that established his alibi had been suppressed by police.
There are many causes of these failures. Pride, greed, and stupidity play their part. Bureaucratic inertia and unwillingness to accept responsibility are standard responses. With depressing frequency the underlying motivation is racial or religious prejudice. The Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six, and the Maguire Seven were all victims of anti-Irish hostility.
A shocking affair
The case of Alfred Dreyfus in France, grounded in anti-semitism, still has the power to shock more than a century after it happened.
The latest of a long list of books about the case is the best-selling novel
