Former sub-postmaster found guilty of wife’s murder in Melsonby, North Yorkshire, seeks fresh appeal

Robin Garbutt claimed he and his wife Diana were the victims of an armed robbery. Credit: Family photo

A former sub-postmaster found guilty of bludgeoning his wife to death has applied to launch a fresh appeal against his murder conviction.

Robin Garbutt was found guilty of murdering his wife Diana at their home in North Yorkshire and jailed for life in April 2011.

He was ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars for killing the 40-year-old.

At his trial, jurors at Teesside Crown Court heard that he battered Diana to death in their bedroom before opening their post office and shop in the North Yorkshire village of Melsonby.

Garbutt has always maintained his innocence.

He claimed he and his wife were a victim of an armed robbery but the prosecution’s case, which involved using evidence from the Horizon IT system and the Post Office, helped to convict him.

His solicitor, Martin Rackstraw said: “We believe that fresh evidence and other important developments that have come to light since the original trial, now mean that Mr Garbutt’s conviction is not safe.”

When sentencing Garbutt, the trial judge, Mr Justice Openshaw, said his version of events was a “ludicrous story from beginning to end”.

Now, the Criminal Cases Review Commission has confirmed that lawyers on behalf of Garbutt have applied for his case to be sent back to the Court of Appeal.

Mark Stilborn, Garbutt's brother, says he is hopeful of a different outcome now that the former Post Office minister is backing a fresh review.

He said: "Nobody has faith in the system, but hopefully they'll now sit and look at what we are putting forward, look at it correctly and act on it correctly, that's all we ask.

"Kevin Hollinrake has put his name behind it now, for him to do that he obviously feels there is a problem. We just want to get back to the appeals court."

Garbutt lost his last appeal in 2012 as three judges concluded his conviction was safe.

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