Three innocent black men who were jailed nearly 50 years ago over a corrupt police officer's claims have had their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal. Courtney Harriot, Paul Green and Cleveland Davidson, all aged between 17 and 20 at the time, were arrested on the London Underground while travelling from Stockwell station in February 1972.
The trio, now in their late 60s, and three friends – known as the Stockwell Six – were tried at the Old Bailey largely on the word of British Transport Police officer DS Derek Ridgewell, whom the force now recognises as discredited. They were accused of trying to rob Ridgewell, and all but one were convicted, despite telling jurors that police officers had lied and subjected them to violence and threats.
At a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, Sir Julian Flaux, sitting with Mr Justice Linden and Mr Justice Wall, cleared the three men's names. Sir Julian said: “It is most unfortunate that it has taken nearly 50 years to rectify the injustice suffered by these appellants.” Speaking outside court, Davidson said: “It was a total stitch-up, a frame-up for nothing. We just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time with a bad, corrupt police officer.”
Jenny Wiltshire, of Hickman & Rose Solicitors, who represented the three men, said: “While the acquittal of these innocent men is welcome news, it is deeply troubling that it has taken so long. Both the British Transport Police and the Home Office were warned about Ridgewell’s lies in 1973. Yet neither organisation did anything except move him to a different police unit.” She added that for many of Ridgewell's victims, justice is “far too little, far too late.”
The BTP deputy chief constable, Adrian Hanstock, apologised unreservedly for the distress caused, but said an examination of records had not identified any additional cases for external review.
