Difference between revisions of "Michael Havers"
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==Decision not to prosecute Peter Hayman== | ==Decision not to prosecute Peter Hayman== | ||
In April 1981 as [[UK Attorney General]], Sir Michael Havers stated in parliament that while [[Peter Hayman]] was a member of the [[Paedophile Information Exchange]], he was never a member of the executive committee, so was not prosecuted as others were for publishing contact advertisements.<ref name=times-19810407>{{cite news |url=https://spotlightonabuse.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/times070481.jpg |title=Why Sir Peter Hayman was not named |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=7 April 1981 |accessdate=2 July 2014 |quote=through his membership of PIE or otherwise}}</ref><ref name=guardian-19810407>{{cite news |url=https://spotlightonabuse.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/g070481.jpg |title=Havers denies special treatment for Hayman |author=Colin Brown |newspaper=The Guardian |date=7 April 1981 |accessdate=2 July 2014 |quote=Sir Peter was a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange}}</ref> | In April 1981 as [[UK Attorney General]], Sir Michael Havers stated in parliament that while [[Peter Hayman]] was a member of the [[Paedophile Information Exchange]], he was never a member of the executive committee, so was not prosecuted as others were for publishing contact advertisements.<ref name=times-19810407>{{cite news |url=https://spotlightonabuse.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/times070481.jpg |title=Why Sir Peter Hayman was not named |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=7 April 1981 |accessdate=2 July 2014 |quote=through his membership of PIE or otherwise}}</ref><ref name=guardian-19810407>{{cite news |url=https://spotlightonabuse.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/g070481.jpg |title=Havers denies special treatment for Hayman |author=Colin Brown |newspaper=The Guardian |date=7 April 1981 |accessdate=2 July 2014 |quote=Sir Peter was a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange}}</ref> | ||
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| + | ===Role in the Guildford Four and Maguire Family miscarriages of justice=== | ||
| + | Havers represented the Crown in two of the most notable miscarriages of justice in British judicial history:<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/feb/10/northernireland.northernireland Guardian: After 16 years of waiting, an apology at last for the Guildford Four]</ref> the trial and appeal of the [[Guildford Four]] and also of the Maguire family (known as the [[Maguire Seven]]), all of whom were wrongfully convicted. Collectively, they served a total of 113 years in prison and one of the Maguire Seven, [[Giuseppe Conlon]], died in prison, convicted on the basis of discredited forensic evidence.<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13017691.600-faulty-forensic-testing-convicted-maguire-seven-.html New Scientist: Faulty forensic testing convicted Maguire Seven]</ref> | ||
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| + | In the case of the Guildford Four, the [[Director of Public Prosecutions]] was found to have suppressed alibi evidence that supported Gerry Conlon and Paul Hill’s claims of innocence.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE7D8123DF931A25750C0A962958260 New York Times Letter: Sins of the Guildford Four Prosecution]</ref> The Director of Public Prosecutions, for which Havers was acting, was also found to have suppressed confessions by Provisional IRA bombers, known as the [[Balcombe Street Gang]] that they had carried out the Guildford and Woolwich bombings. | ||
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| + | In his submission to Sir [[John May]]'s Inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings in 1989 Labour MP [[Chris Mullin]] cast doubt on Havers’s integrity in the matter:<ref>[http://www.epolitix.com/mpwebsites/mpspeeches/mpspeechdetails/newsarticle/evidence-to-sir-john-mays-inquiry-into-the-guildford-and-woolwich-bombings-1989///mpsite/chris-mullin/?no_cache=1 Evidence to Sir John May's Inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings - 1989]</ref> | ||
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| + | <blockquote> | ||
| + | Sir Michael Havers represented the Crown at the trials of the Guildford Four, Mrs. Maguire and her family and at the re-trial/appeal of the Guildford Four. He is, therefore, probably the person who can lay claim to the most detailed knowledge of this affair. I respectfully submit that any inquiry that passed without the benefit of his experience would be deficient....<br /> | ||
| + | The only hope of sustaining the original convictions was to rewrite the script from top to bottom. This Sir Michael and his colleagues proceeded to do with ingenuity and relish. | ||
| + | </blockquote> | ||
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{{SMWDocs}} | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
{{Stub}} | {{Stub}} | ||
Revision as of 13:38, 20 November 2015
 Michael Havers    | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1923-03-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 1992-04-01 (Age 69) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Cambridge University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | • Philip • Nigel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Carol Elizabeth Lay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of | Nobody's Friends | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Decision not to prosecute Peter Hayman
In April 1981 as UK Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers stated in parliament that while Peter Hayman was a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange, he was never a member of the executive committee, so was not prosecuted as others were for publishing contact advertisements.[1][2]
Role in the Guildford Four and Maguire Family miscarriages of justice
Havers represented the Crown in two of the most notable miscarriages of justice in British judicial history:[3] the trial and appeal of the Guildford Four and also of the Maguire family (known as the Maguire Seven), all of whom were wrongfully convicted. Collectively, they served a total of 113 years in prison and one of the Maguire Seven, Giuseppe Conlon, died in prison, convicted on the basis of discredited forensic evidence.[4]
In the case of the Guildford Four, the Director of Public Prosecutions was found to have suppressed alibi evidence that supported Gerry Conlon and Paul Hill’s claims of innocence.[5] The Director of Public Prosecutions, for which Havers was acting, was also found to have suppressed confessions by Provisional IRA bombers, known as the Balcombe Street Gang that they had carried out the Guildford and Woolwich bombings.
In his submission to Sir John May's Inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings in 1989 Labour MP Chris Mullin cast doubt on Havers’s integrity in the matter:[6]
Sir Michael Havers represented the Crown at the trials of the Guildford Four, Mrs. Maguire and her family and at the re-trial/appeal of the Guildford Four. He is, therefore, probably the person who can lay claim to the most detailed knowledge of this affair. I respectfully submit that any inquiry that passed without the benefit of his experience would be deficient....
The only hope of sustaining the original convictions was to rewrite the script from top to bottom. This Sir Michael and his colleagues proceeded to do with ingenuity and relish.
References
- ↑
{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑
{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑ Guardian: After 16 years of waiting, an apology at last for the Guildford Four
- ↑ New Scientist: Faulty forensic testing convicted Maguire Seven
- ↑ New York Times Letter: Sins of the Guildford Four Prosecution
- ↑ Evidence to Sir John May's Inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings - 1989
