David McKenzie

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David McKenzie was convicted of manslaughter, through diminished responsibility, of two victims based on confessions made by him. He had also confessed to several other offences. Two experts on false confessions testified at his original trial. The trial judge ruled the confessions were admissible since they had not been obtained as a result of police pressure.

On appeal, the court found that the confessions were not supported by other evidence, were unconvincing, and had been made by an accused suffering from a significant degree of mental handicap. Alleged “special knowledge” could have arisen due to information released by the press. Mr McKenzie’s convictions were quashed, and described as “unsafe and unsatisfactory.”

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