Free David Ferguson

Help to right a grave miscarriage of justice....

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Blog entry 6th July 2022

It's been a little while since my last blog. Mainly due to no real progress being made to report on.

The manner in which the appeal court rejected my application hit me hard. As previously stated, the court panel either didn't read my submissions properly or didn't understand their true context and ramifications. Either prospect is deeply concerning.

Facts are facts. The DNA match estimation presented at my trial was infactual. The most recent tests performed proves this. Any jury who heard that a match was no more than 1 in 3000 of the male western European population and that most of the genetic markers were unrecoverable would hold any such DNA evidence to be of little to no value. Indeed, it would be doubtful that any prosecutor would rely on a DNA reading so low due to the questions it would raise and doubt that it would cast as to reliability. Yet the appeal court rejected this position.

Then there is my alibi evidence that was provably withheld by the police and CPS. Independent witness statements put me at a chemists during the crucial time period. The witnesses all identified me by my tattoos. The appeal court rejected this, stating that it was father at the chemists. My father had no tattoos, so it could not be him. Clearly the police and CPS knew this. What other reason is there for them to have withheld the existence of these statements and other irrefutable evidence placing me at the chemists during the crucial time period. What other reason is there for their continued denial of this evidences existence; even though their own expert witness has stated he had sight of it and, in his possession.

Most wrongly convicted prisoners face an almost impossible battle to prove their innocence through the appeal system. Its is massively loaded against us. First and foremost is the fact that it is now all but impossible to obtain competent and efficient legal representation due to relentless legal aid funding cuts. Secondly, even if we can get a solicitor to represent us the service we receive is questionable and extremely slow. My previous solicitor dragged their heels for over 6 years. Then, when I grew tired of this they abandoned my case and, it is all but impossible to get new representation.

A wrongly convicted person is not justice. It's not justice for a victim, their family or the public. A wrongful conviction just creates more victims of a broken justice system.