Harry MacKenney
Years in prison:
23
Year of crime:
1974-78
Year conviction was overturned:
2003
Harry MacKenny was convicted of four murders after being implicated by a former employee, Bruce Childs (who pled guilty to the offence). His appeal was allowed follwing expert medical evidence that was given that Childs suffered from multiple personality disorders and had changed his story on multiple occasions and since retracted accusations relating to the killing. His mental disorder compelled him to lie repeatedly in a way that would not have been detectable to a jury. Because of this his evidence was considered so unreliable that it was worthless and the conviction was quashed.
View Press (www.theguardian.com)
< Back to Case Search < Back to Overview Graph- Offence: Murder
- Jurisdiction: England & Wales
- County: Essex
- Ethnicity: White
- Gender: M
- Years in prison: 23
- Offence convicted of: Quadruple murder
- Year of crime: 1974-78
- Year of initial conviction: 1980
- Year conviction was overturned: 2003
- Age when imprisoned: 49
- CCRC Referral: Y
- Tried with others: Y
- Link to full case: https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2003/3643.html
- Type of fresh evidence at appeal: Evidence relating to the reliability of witness testimony
- Compensation: Unknown
- Crown argued case at CofA: Yes
- Retrial: No
- Previous appeals: Numerous unsuccessful appeals attempts