FRANK JOHNSON

Early day motion 1523, tabled 27 June 2002 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 18 members.

That this House welcomes the decision of the Appeal Court to quash the conviction of Irishman Frank Johnson and order his release from prison after 26 years; notes that police failure to disclose vital evidence and poor legal representation were again issues at the heart of this injustice; pays tribute to the dedicated work of those members of the Irish community and others who have campaigned to bring this miscarriage of justice to light; regrets that even after the CCRC discovered new evidence it took several years for the case to reach the Court of Appeal; notes that owing to a failure to provide for victims of miscarriages of justice, Frank Johnson was freed from prison with no pre-release preparation, no pension, no aftercare or miscarriage-specific psychiatric assistance; recognises the single-minded determination of Frank Johnson to assert his innocence and regrets that rules governing a prisoner's eligibility for parole may extend the period of detention for a person maintaining their innocence far beyond their original tariff; and urges the Government to address these concerns.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.