Murder conviction quashed in Court of Appeal

Allan Compton KC acted for SG whose conviction for murder was quashed by the Court of Appeal on 31st July 2025.

SG was one of three defendants convicted of murder arising from a ‘honeytrap’ killing in Bushey in 2022.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67658627

Two other defendants were convicted of manslaughter.

Leave to appeal the conviction was initially refused. Mr Compton, who appeared pro bono for the appellant before the full Court, persuaded the full Court to grant leave to appeal on 27th March 2025.

On 31^st July 2025 the Court agreed with Mr Compton’s submissions that the trial Judge did not have, on the grounds of fairness, a common law power to edit or redact evidence adduced by one defendant, as against another defendant in what was a cut-throat case. The evidence consisted of letters written by a co-defendant (D5) confessing to planning the robbery that led to the murder. That defendant had denied being party to the robbery when cross-examined by Mr Compton and implicated SG in the murder. The letters were produced by another defendant (D3) whilst D5 was being cross-examined by the prosecution.

The Court reaffirmed the principles in Myers [1998] AC 124 that if such evidence was relevant and admissible (whether as to the facts or credibility) the trial Judge has no discretion, at common law, to exclude it. His purported exercise of s82(3) Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 was wrong in law.

At a subsequent hearing on 17^th October 2025 SG’s conviction or murder was substituted with a conviction for manslaughter.