Oliver Campbell

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Oliver Campbell was convicted of the murder of a victim who was shot during a botched robbery of an off-licence carried out by two men. A witness described seeing two men, one of whom was wearing a distinctive baseball cap, fleeing the scene. Mr Campbell had recently purchased such a cap and was arrested by the police and interviewed 14 times. While in custody he made ‘admissions’ relating to his involvement in the murder. Despite Mr Campbell having learning difficulties (as a result of brain damage suffered as a baby), an expert at trial concluded he was not abnormally suggestible, and he was convicted by the jury.

The CCRC initially decided not to refer Mr Campbell’s case in 2005. However, upon a second review of the case, they approached the initial expert who had testified at trial and a new expert in order to further examine Mr Campbell’s potential vulnerability to falsely confessing. Both experts highlighted Mr Campbell’s vulnerability to false confession that had not been recognised at the time of the initial trial, and he was described as being of ‘high risk’ of falsely confessing.  In 2022, the CCRC decided to refer Mr Campbell’s case to the Court of Appeal. Based largely on the new evidence highlighting the unreliability of his confession, Mr Campbell’s conviction was overturned in 2024.

 

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