Four ex-police officers involved in the conviction of an innocent man who was jailed for 17 years for a rape he did not commit are now under investigation, watchdogs have said. And one of the former officers is under criminal investigation for potential misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said. Andrew Malkinson , 58, was convicted of the rape of a woman from Kearsley in Little Hulton and jailed in 2003 despite being innocent.
He was not released until 17 years later, in 2020, and did not see his conviction quashed until another three years later, in summer 2023. The IOPC is now investigating complaints by Mr Malkinson about Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and its rape investigation leading to his jailing. The IOPC said the four areas it is focusing on are whether police followed the appropriate processes during the identification of Mr Malkinson as a suspect, whether witnesses were offered any incentive to provide evidence, the alleged failure to disclose information that may have helped Mr Malkinson’s defence at his trial and the handling and disposal of items of evidence.
Catherine Bates, IOPC regional director, said: “Mr Malkinson is a victim of one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history. “We continue to work hard to ensure his complaints are thoroughly and independently investigated. “Following a detailed review of evidence spanning a period of more than 20 years, we .
