Falsely convicted man who spent £500k clearing his name is rejected for compensation
Summary
Brian Buckle, who spent over five years in prison after being wrongly convicted of child sex abuse, was cleared and found not guilty in a retrial but was denied compensation for his wrongful conviction. The UK Ministry of Justice rejected his compensation claim twice due to changes in the law requiring proof of innocence, not just a not guilty verdict.Key Facts
- Brian Buckle was convicted in 2017 and sentenced to 15 years for historical child sex abuse.
- After a five-year fight, his conviction was overturned and he was found not guilty in a 2023 retrial.
- Buckle and his family spent £500,000 trying to clear his name.
- He suffers from PTSD and mental health problems as a result of his time in prison.
- His first and second appeals for compensation were rejected by the Ministry of Justice.
- The 2014 law change means compensation is only given if the claimant proves they didn’t commit the crime.
- Buckle’s case has been raised in Parliament by his MP, Ben Lake, who continues to seek justice.
- The Law Commission is reviewing the criminal appeals process and plans to report on compensation this year.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
