Court quashes 1976 convictions over link to corrupt London police officer
Summary
Two men, Christopher Poulter and Kevin Biggs, had their 1976 theft convictions overturned by a UK court after new evidence showed a corrupt police officer framed them. Biggs died before his innocence was proven, but both men were found not guilty because the officer had committed crimes and lied in their trials.Key Facts
- Poulter and Biggs were convicted in 1976 for stealing mailbags in London.
- Their convictions were based on the testimony of a corrupt police officer, DS Derek Ridgewell.
- Ridgewell was jailed in 1980 for stealing goods and framing innocent men.
- The Criminal Cases Review Commission brought new evidence to the court in 2024.
- Biggs died in 2004 and never saw his conviction overturned.
- Poulter lived most of his life as a convicted criminal despite his innocence.
- They became the 14th and 15th men cleared related to Ridgewell’s false evidence.
- The case highlights issues with the British Transport Police’s response to Ridgewell’s misconduct.
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