Michael McMahon
David Cooper and Michael McMahon were convicted of the murder of Reginald Stevens, who was shot in a bungled robbery near a Luton post office. The appeal was based on doubts over the credibility and reliability of a prosecution witnesses (who had himself been involved in the robbery, but had proceedings against him discontinued and became the principal prosecution witness) and of a detective in charge of the investigation (who was convicted of corruption), and failures in disclosure. The totality of these matters led the Court of Appeal to conclude that the appeal must be allowed. Both Mr Cooper and Mr McMahon died before their convictions were quashed (although the Home Secretary had released the men prior to this date).
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< Back to Case Search < Back to Overview Graph- Offence: Murder
- Jurisdiction: England & Wales
- County: Bedfordshire
- Ethnicity: White
- Gender: M
- Years in prison: 10
- Offence convicted of: Murder
- Year of crime: 1969
- Year of initial conviction: 1970
- Year conviction was overturned: 2003
- Age when imprisoned: 26
- CCRC Referral: Y
- Tried with others: Y
- Link to full case: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2003/2257.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: 1971, applications for leave to appeal dismissed; 1973, appeal dismissed; 1975, appeals dismissed following referral from Secretary of State; 1976, appeals dismissed following referral from Secretary of State; 1978, Court declined to receive fresh evidence following referral by Secretary of State.