A retired police officer is being criminally investigated for wrongly convicting Andy Malkinson of a rape he didn’t commit, the police watchdog has stated.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) stated the previous Greater Manchester Police officer is being investigated on fees of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public workplace in relation to Mr Malkinson's trial 20 years in the past.
The former officer and three different officers, who’re additionally retired, are additionally being investigated for alleged gross misconduct.
Mr Malkinson was acquitted final yr after struggling the longest miscarriage of justice within the twenty first century.
Mr Malkinson stated he felt vindicated by the IOPC investigation however that he “will not be satisfied until the authorities face real consequences”.
He stated, “If Greater Manchester Police can get away with what they did to me, they will keep doing it. It's that simple.”
Judges on the Court of Appeal have been informed of long-unknown DNA proof which suggests one other man might have been the rapist in a 2003 assault on a girl.
No forensic proof ever linked Mr Malkinson to the sufferer and there was no hint of the facial accidents she inflicted on her attacker as she fought to defend herself.
He didn’t resemble the preliminary description of her rapist and there was no proof linking him to the remoted crime scene close to Bolton.
Mr Malkinson spent 17 years in jail protesting his innocence and a serious judge-led investigation continues into how the improper man was convicted.
The determination to analyze the 4 executives comes after the IOPC reviewed how GMP dealt with Mr Malkinson's complaints.
An IOPC assertion stated it was wanting into how GMP recognized Mr Malkinson because the prime suspect and whether or not witnesses had been supplied incentives to pick him.
The watchdog stated it was additionally investigating whether or not there was a failure to reveal info that will have helped Mr Malkinson in his trial and was additionally wanting into whether or not authorities had made any errors in figuring out Mr Malkinson. Had adopted “proper procedures”.
The watchdog stated it was additionally investigating how GMP dealt with and disposed of the proof.
During Mr Malkinson's profitable attraction final yr, it emerged that the unique DNA samples recovered from the sufferer and her clothes had been destroyed.
Catherine Bates, regional director of the IOPC, stated: “Mr Malkinson is the victim of one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
“Following a detailed review of the evidence spanning more than 20 years, we have now informed four retired GMP officers that they are under investigation for possible gross misconduct.
“One of the officers has also been informed that he is under criminal investigation for possible misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice in relation to his actions during the police investigation and subsequent trial.
“We will keep Mr Malkinson and GMP updated on our progress.”
Mr Malkinson's lawyer Emily Bolton, on the authorized charity Appeal, welcomed the IOPC's determination to proceed its investigation.
“Andy's wrongful imprisonment was not an inevitable accident,” she stated.
“Police accountability is not optional – it is essential. “Andy, his family, and the rape victim in this case all deserve justice.”
With inputs from BBC