John Earle

Fresh DNA evidence could clear Irishman convicted of Northumberland killing

by Rob Pattinson, Sunday Sun 16 January 2011

An earlier appeal was refused in 1999. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) referred the case to the appeal court in 2010. They said: “We have considered new scientific evidence and, on the strength of that, we have referred the case back to the Court of Appeal because we believe there is a real possibility it will be concluded the conviction is unsafe and it will be quashed.”

John Earle, now 45, was convicted in 1998 at Newcastle Crown Court of the murder of Peter Halliday, 67, whose body washed up near Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland. He had been beaten and strangled. He was convicted on the evidence of his partner, who said she had seen the fight.

The appeal judges, Lord Justice Leveson, sitting with Mr Justice Davis and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones, reserved their ruling on Earle’s appeal until a later date.

Tweet