Miscarriages of justice body to review handling of Andrew Malkinson case

Andrew Malkinson outside the Court of Appeal after having his conviction quashed. Credit: PA Images

The body which investigates miscarriages of justice will review its handling of the case of Andrew Malkinson after his appeals to them were twice turned down before his rape conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Mr Malkinson spent 17 years in prison for an offence he did not commit before his conviction was quashed based on DNA evidence last month.

Report says police had vital evidence in wrongly convicted man's 2007 appeal

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of seven years in 2003 and he spent an additional ten years in prison because he maintained his innocence.

Mr Malkinson's custody picture, which was taken after his arrest.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said chairman Helen Pitcher met the Lord Chancellor on Wednesday to discuss the case.

A CCRC spokesman said: "A review into the decisions taken in Mr Malkinson's case couldn't be started until we had the judgment from the Court of Appeal, but we have long recognised that it would be important to have one.

"We will be as open as we can be within our statutory constraints with the findings of the completed review and the lessons to be learned.

"This is a complex case in which many elements have informed the decisions taken.

"We recognise that Mr Malkinson has had a very long journey to clear his name and it is plainly wrong that he spent 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

"We have already been in touch with Greater Manchester Police and with the Crown Prosecution Service to offer our assistance in any of their inquiries."