‘Right,’ he says, taking up his place next to me. ‘A little quiet, please.’ He clears his throat. ‘As you’ve no doubt guessed, this is about the shooting incident at Wytham last Sunday. Thanks to some good solid policework by DC Hansen –’
Hansen looks up and goes bright red; Ev grins and gives him a pat on the back.
‘– we now know that the couple we’ve been calling Richard and Margaret Swann have only been using that name since 2004, when they changed it by deed poll, shortly before moving here. Before that, they lived in Gloucestershire, and their surname was Rowan. Which, for those in kindergarten at the time, is Rowan as in Camilla Rowan. Otherwise known as “Milly Liar”.’
The tension in the room has suddenly jump-started.
‘DS Gislingham will be emailing you a link to the case files. There’s also a documentary series on Netflix –’
Eye-rolls now, a couple of sneers. Like I’ve said before, coppers aren’t great watchers of TV crime, and especially not of the idiot-plods-fucked-it-up-again kind.
‘I know, I know,’ he continues, ‘and normally I’d be equally sceptical. But it is relevant, in this case, because the producers claimed to have unearthed new evidence suggesting South Mercia Police failed to pursue all potential lines of enquiry. Which, as you may remember, provoked the usual storm of press chest-beating about this terrible “miscarriage of justice”.’
Someone raises a hand. Bradley Carter. A couple of people near him exchange weary glances.
‘Wasn’t there a CCRC review, sir?’
Harrison looks over at him. ‘Yes, Carter, there was. Which, after assessing all this so-called “new evidence”, concluded that there was nothing to justify referring the case to the Court of Appeal. So as at now, Camilla Rowan remains in HMP Heathside, with no prospect of parole until 2020.’
He takes a breath. ‘However, DNA tests done on blood found at the crime scene have thrown the entire case into question. There is now a very real possibility that Camilla Rowan did not, in fact, kill her baby. For the simple reason that he could very well be the man we currently have in the morgue.’
Silence.
Harrison clears his throat again. I can’t be the only one who finds this irritating.
‘Given the vast can of worms we will now be reopening, the Chief Constable wished to consult the CPS, the MoJ and his opposite number at South Mercia before any of this was put into the public domain.’
Someone raises a hand. Bradley Carter. Again.
‘What about Camilla Rowan, sir – will she be released?’
‘That’s up to the Secretary of State. And certainly not before we’ve conclusively identified the man in the morgue, and established exactly where he’s been for the last twenty years. DI Fawley has already arranged to interview her at Heathside later this afternoon – it’s clearly vital we speak to her before she hears the news from another source. And to anticipate what I imagine may be the next question, her parents will also be interviewed again as a matter of urgency, with the aim of establishing whether they were aware of the dead man’s identity, and if so, when – i.e. before or after he ended up dead. Any other questions at this stage?’
No one moves. Teacher’s pet isn’t a good look. Not that Carter seems to care.
My turn. ‘As the Super said, we’ll be talking to both Camilla Rowan and her parents. I’ll also be seeing the DS on the original South Mercia investigation as soon as we can get that arranged. Once that’s done we’ll start re-interviewing the key witnesses. Some we can do by phone, but the more crucial ones need to be done in person – DS Gislingham will be sending round an initial list, so if you’re down to conduct an interview, make sure you prioritize reviewing the material on that witness.’
Harrison nods to me. ‘I’ll leave you to it, Adam. And could you pop by my office when you’ve finished.’
* * *
27 January 2017
Criminal Cases Review Commission Non-Referral of Conviction of Camilla Rowan
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has concluded it cannot refer for appeal the murder conviction of Camilla Rowan. Rowan was tried at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales (the Old Bailey), on the charge of murdering her newborn baby in 1997. On 6 November 2003, she was convicted by a unanimous verdict and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a recommendation that she serve at least seventeen years.
Ms Rowan has tried to appeal against sentence and conviction but was unsuccessful. After the broadcast of the television series Infamous in March 2016, South Mercia Police decided to reopen the case, with particular reference to specific allegations made in that programme. The most significant of these concerned a possible suspect who, it was alleged, had not been properly investigated at the time of the original investigation. South Mercia Police conducted a full inquiry into the claims made in the programme, the results of which were submitted to the Commission. Following a detailed review of this material, the CCRC does not consider that this so-called new suspect took any part in the crime, nor that there is any other new evidence or legal argument capable of raising a real possibility that the Court of Appeal might quash the original conviction. For that reason, the conviction cannot be referred for appeal.
The Commission’s analysis of the case and its reasons for the decision are set out in detail in a 64-page document called a Statement of Reasons, which has been sent to Ms Rowan’s representatives. Statutory restrictions on disclosure mean that the Commission cannot make its Statement of Reasons public. There are no such restrictions on Ms Rowan or her representatives. Indeed, the CCRC invites them to consider publishing the document, or making it available on request, in order that anyone following the case can understand the CCRC’s review and the reasons for the decision not to refer this conviction for appeal. A number of issues relating to the case have already been discussed in public and in the media.
The Commission’s role in relation to alleged miscarriages of justice involves applying the ‘real possibility test’ set out in Section 13 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It says the Commission can only refer a case to the relevant appeal court if the Commission considers that there is a real possibility that the conviction, verdict or sentence would not be upheld were the reference to be made.
– ends –
* * *
As the room starts to clear, Hansen takes the opportunity to catch Gislingham.
‘I know things have moved on a bit, Sarge, but for the record that contact of mine at the Express didn’t have anything useful. Doesn’t sound like there’s been anyone poking about in the Rowan case, which I guess bolsters our theory that the vic wasn’t a journo after all.’
Gis gives him a quick smile and a light tap on the shoulder. ‘But useful to know all the same. Good work.’
Gis turns to Baxter, who’s pinning stills from the Oxford station footage to the whiteboard. ‘Where are we with CCTV on the train?’
Baxter shakes his head. ‘Nothing useful. We eventually ID’d him on the train but all he did the whole way was look at his phone. BTP also managed to track him down at Marylebone buying a ticket, but he paid cash, unfortunately. Other than that, all we know for sure right now is that he didn’t come from the Tube. Which is a pain as it would’ve been by far the easiest to track. So now we’re stuck with needle-in-a-haystack stuff with buses and taxis. But Hansen’s on it, aren’t you, Hansen?’