The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into an allegation that a man had been wrongfully convicted of several offences committed in 2006.
In 2006, the man was detained in custody when interviewed about other offences that he was suspected of committing. When charged with matters he admitted to, he was also charged in respect of a matter that had not been traversed when he was interviewed and which he had not accepted responsibility for.
The man entered early guilty pleas in respect of offences he accepted responsibility for, as well as the matter that had not been discussed. He subsequently complained to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) that he had been wrongfully convicted.
An examination of all relevant Police files determined that there was no evidential basis to charge the man in respect of the matter that had not been put to him when interviewed in 2006. Although, there was no evidence of an intention to mislead the Court, it was not possible to determine what led to the contentious charges being laid in the first place.
The Authority agrees with the outcome of the Police investigation and expects that appropriate steps are taken to withdraw those charges that are unsupported by evidence.
IPCA: 24-23297