This item first appeared on the F.A.C.T. website on the 10th January 2005
Press release
16 December 2004 COMMISSION REFERS SEXUAL OFFENCES CARE HOME CONVICTIONS OF JOHN SIDDALL AND IAN BROOKE TO THE COURT OF APPEAL
The Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred the convictions for sexual offences of John Siddall and Ian Brooke to the Court of Appeal. Both men were convicted at Leeds Crown Court after a police inquiry into alleged abuse at West Yorkshire care homes in the 1980s.
Mr Siddall was convicted on 29 July 1999 of three charges of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child. He was sentenced to four years in prison. A Single Judge refused Mr Siddall leave to appeal in December 1999. Mr Siddall applied to the Commission in August 2000.
Mr Brooke was convicted on 4th April 2000 of three charges of rape, indecent assault, and another serious sexual offence and was jailed for 10 years. A Single Judge refused Mr Brooke leave to appeal in July 2000. A further appeal was heard by the Full Court but dismissed in May 2001. He applied to the Commission in August 2001.
Having considered a range of issues, and reviewed new material relevant to the cases, the Commission has decided to refer both cases back to the Court of Appeal.
The Commission is the independent public body set up in 1997 to investigate suspected miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and decide if they should be referred to the appeal courts.
The legal representative for Mr Siddall is Mr E F Conybeare, of Shulmans Solicitors, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4LT, Tel: 0113 245 2833
The legal representative for Mr Brooke is Mr A Hewitt, Thompsons Solicitors, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL, Tel: 0113 205 6300
This press release was issued by Boris Worrall, Head of Communication at the Criminal Cases Review Commission on Tel 0121 633 1806.