Innocent Briton 'Not Bitter' After Decades Behind Bars
Peter Sullivan, 68, walked free this week after spending 38 years in UK prisons for a murder he did not commit. His conviction for the 1986 killing of barmaid Diane Sidwell was overturned by the Court of Appeal after new DNA evidence proved another man's involvement.
A Decades-Long Fight for Justice
Sullivan, arrested just weeks after 21-year-old Sidwell's death near Liverpool, maintained his innocence through multiple failed appeals. Critical semen evidence recently re-examined using modern technology confirmed he was not the attacker. Prosecutors conceded there was "no credible basis" to oppose his exoneration.
Systemic Failures Under Scrutiny
The case highlights growing concerns about UK judicial reliability following several high-profile exonerations. Last year saw Andrew Malkinson released after 17 years for a wrongful rape conviction, while the Post Office Horizon scandal involved 900+ flawed prosecutions. A recent report by justice charity Appeal found at least 56 miscarriages in split-jury cases.
'No Anger, Just Relief'
Through his lawyer, Sullivan stated: "While this conviction was very wrong, I’m not angry or bitter." His case renews attention on Jeremy Bamber's 1986 White House Farm murders conviction, now under fresh review.
