UK Court Overturns Murder Conviction After Nearly 40 Years as DNA Evidence Clears Peter Sullivan

After spending nearly four decades behind bars for a crime he did not commit, 68-year-old Peter Sullivan walked free on Tuesday as a British appeals court overturned his murder conviction, citing new DNA evidence that proved his innocence, Al Jazeera reports.

Sullivan, who was convicted in 1987 for the brutal killing of 21-year-old barmaid Diane Sindall, became the longest-serving victim of a miscarriage of justice in UK history, according to his legal team.

“This is an unprecedented and historic moment,” Sullivan’s lawyer told reporters outside the court. “Our client Peter Sullivan is the longest-serving victim of a miscarriage of justice in the UK.”

The judges at London’s Court of Appeal ruled that fresh forensic evidence conclusively proved Sullivan was not responsible for the crime. The DNA profile found on Sindall’s body did not match Sullivan’s, fundamentally undermining the safety of his conviction.

“Not Angry or Bitter”

In an emotional statement read by his lawyer, Sullivan said he harbored no resentment, despite losing nearly 40 years of his life to a wrongful conviction.

“I lost my liberty four decades ago over a crime I did not commit,” Sullivan said. “But I am not angry. I am not bitter.”

Sullivan wept in court as the decision was handed down, bringing a close to a long legal battle that included two failed appeals before his case was reviewed again.

The 1986 Murder Case

Sindall was attacked, sexually assaulted, and beaten to death in Bebington, near Liverpool, in 1986 while walking home from work. The crime shocked the community and drew nationwide attention.

Sullivan, then 30 years old, was arrested a month later and convicted largely on controversial bite-mark evidence and statements made during police interviews — both of which have since come under scrutiny.

His two previous appeals were rejected. But in 2021, Sullivan sought help from the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), an independent body that investigates possible miscarriages of justice.

The CCRC raised concerns about flaws in his interrogation, the reliability of the forensic evidence presented at trial, and the validity of the alleged murder weapon. A review of original crime scene samples led to the discovery of DNA that excluded Sullivan as a suspect.

Prosecutors Concede the Case

In court, lawyers representing the Crown Prosecution Service acknowledged that the new DNA findings left “no credible basis on which the appeal can be opposed.”

The evidence was “sufficient fundamentally to cast doubt on the safety of the conviction,” they said.

Investigation Reopened

Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill announced that police are now appealing for new information in a renewed effort to solve Sindall’s murder.

“After nearly four decades, we owe it to Diane and her family to find the person responsible,” she said.