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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Robbery (includes armed robbery) |
Sentence: |
8 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
6 |
Year Crime: |
1990 |
Year Convicted: |
1991 |
Year Cleared: |
2001 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
United Kingdom |
County or Region of Crime: |
England |
City of Crime: |
Dudley |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Alex Allan was wrongly convicted in 1991 based on his alleged confession to being involved in the robbery of a post office van in March 1990 in Dudley, England. In 1997, the group Liberty brought Alex Allan's case to the attention of the Student Law Office, a free legal advice service run by law degree students at Northumbria University. Over a four year period eight students investigated Mr. Allan's case. In 1997 Allan also submitted an application to the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) for review of his conviction as a miscarriage of justice. Allan was released in 1997. Allan's case was referred by the CCRC on 11/23/1998 to the England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). On July 12, 2001 the appeals court quashed Alexander Allan's conviction. After his release, Allan said about the students, "It's just unbelievable what they did," said Allan. "I can't thank them enough. I don't think a solicitor's office could have given me the amount of time they did." With the continued aid of Northumbria University students, he was awarded compensation of £169,550 ($328,500) by the British government's Home Office in November 2006." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"Court of Appeals quashed conviction on June 12, 2001." |
Defendant Aided By: |
"Alex Allan's case was brought to the attention of the Student Law Office, a free legal advice service run by law degree students at Northumbria University, in 1997 by Liberty, the campaign group. Law students worked on Allan's case for four years. Alex Allan's case was submitted to the Court of Appeals by the Criminal Case Review Commission (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Northubria University law students helped Alex Allan secure £170,000 compensation." |
Compensation Awarded: |
"£169,550 ($328,500) in November 2006 ($328,500 at the Nov 2006 exchange rate.)." |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
30 |
Age When Released: |
36 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Win or lose, no fee pro bono week promotes free legal services, by Claire Dyer, The Guardian (London UK), June 5, 2006" |
Information Location 1: |
"http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1790264,00.html" |
Information Source 2: |
"Students to the rescue, The Guardian, June 14, 2005" |
Information Location 2: |
"http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/story/0,3605,1506000,00.html" |
Information Source 3: |
Innocent UK website |
Information Location 3: |
http://www.innocent.org.uk/cases/ |
Information Source 4: |
"Alexander Allan, Criminal Case Review Commission referred cases database (last viewed Feb. 1, 2014)" |
Information Location 4: |
http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/criminal-cases-review-commission/case-library/1 |
Information Source 5: |
"£170,000 for man wrongly locked up, by By Paul James And Emma Greenhalgh, The Journal (Newcastle, UK), November 11, 2006" |
Information Location 5: |
http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/journallive/thejournal/tm_headline=-pound-170-000-for-man-wrongly-locked-up&method=full&objectid=18080055&siteid=50081-name_page.html |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org