Jeremy Bamber, convicted in 1986 of murdering five members of his family at White House Farm, may have his case sent back to the Court of Appeal this week. Bamber, who has always maintained his innocence, hopes that new evidence will finally quash his conviction after 40 years in prison. His supporters argue the conviction is unsafe, while many of his surviving relatives remain convinced of his guilt.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), responsible for referring potential miscarriages of justice to the appeal court, has faced criticism for its slow handling of Bamber's case. His latest submission includes ten grounds for appeal, such as evidence that his father Nevill called police ten minutes before Bamber did, alleged police tampering with the crime scene, and the existence of a second gun silencer. The commission has spent four years reviewing just four of these points, prompting concerns that a full review could take another six years.
The murders occurred on 7 August 1985 at White House Farm in Essex. Bamber told police his father had called to say his sister Sheila Caffell, who had schizophrenia, had taken a rifle. Police arrived but did not enter the farmhouse for almost four hours, later discovering a massacre. The crime scene was reportedly compromised, with evidence moved or destroyed, witness statements altered, and police walking through bloodied areas.
Bamber has been in touch with journalist Eric Allison for 15 years. In a 2011 interview, Bamber said he copes with prison by imagining walking and talking with his deceased family members. He keeps a drawing in his cell showing him standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice with his hands raised in triumph, a symbol of his hope for exoneration.
