Billy Power
The Birmingham Six (Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Hugh Walker, Billy Power, and Richard McIlkenny) were convicted of the murders of 21 people in two pub bombings. During police interviews Power, McIlkenny, Walker, and Callaghan made written confessions, and Hunter and Hill were alleged to have made oral confessions. At trial this confession evidence was introduced, along with forensic evidence to suggest that Power and Hill had been in contact with nitroglycerine (an explosive). Circumstantial evidence, including evidence from independent witnesses was also introduced. The convictions were quashed on appeal, when fresh evidence called into doubt both the confessions and the forensic evidence. The Court of Appeal stated that in light of fresh scientific evidence the convictions were both unsafe and unsatisfactory.
< Back to Case Search < Back to Overview Graph- Offence: Murder Other
- Jurisdiction: England & Wales
- County: West Midlands
- Ethnicity: White
- Gender: M
- Years in prison: 16
- Offence convicted of: Murder; conspiracy to cause explosions
- Year of crime: 1974
- Year of initial conviction: 1975
- Year conviction was overturned: 1991
- Age when imprisoned: 29
- CCRC Referral: N
- Tried with others: Y
- Link to full case: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1991/2.html
- Type of fresh evidence at appeal: Evidence undermining the reliability of a confession, Evidence undermining forensic science, Evidence casting doubt on the integrity of police.
- Compensation: Yes
- Link to compensation: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jan/15/ukcrime.markoliver#:~:text=All%20six%20were%20given%20%C2%A3200%2C000%20interim%20compensation.&text=Judith%20Ward%20was%20wrongly%20convicted,were%20killed%20in%20the%20explosion
- Crown argued case at CofA: No
- Retrial: No
- Previous appeals: Application for leave to appeal dismissed in 1976; appeal dismissed in 1988.