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Court quashes murder conviction Court quashes murder conviction
(29 minutes later)
A man who spent eight years in prison after being convicted of murder has won his appeal against conviction. A man who has spent eight years in prison for murder has won an appeal against his conviction.
Ian Lawless, 47, was jailed for life in 2002 after confessing to the murder of retired sea captain Alf Wilkins on the Yarborough estate in Grimsby.Ian Lawless, 47, was jailed for life in 2002 after confessing to the murder of retired sea captain Alf Wilkins on the Yarborough estate in Grimsby.
Mr Lawless's solicitors told the Court of Appeal that the confession was unreliable because of his medical condition at the time. Judges at the Court of Appeal ruled that his conviction was unsafe after hearing fresh medical evidence about his mental condition at the time.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it would not contest the appeal. The Crown Prosecution Service did not oppose the appeal.
Mr Lawless and another man were convicted of firebombing Mr Wilkins's flat after wrongly suspecting him of being a paedophile.Mr Lawless and another man were convicted of firebombing Mr Wilkins's flat after wrongly suspecting him of being a paedophile.
'Need for attention'
The former tugboat skipper's body was found in the kitchen of his smoke-damaged flat with his 12-year-old black Alsatian dog Lucky lying nearby.The former tugboat skipper's body was found in the kitchen of his smoke-damaged flat with his 12-year-old black Alsatian dog Lucky lying nearby.
Three judges in London ruled that his conviction was unsafe after hearing medical evidence about his mental condition at the time - including a "pathological need for attention". Mr Lawless's case had been referred to the Court of Appeal for review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice.
His case had been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice. The judges heard that at the time of his confession Mr Lawless had a "pathological need for attention".
Lord Justice Richards, sitting with Mrs Justice Gloster and Mrs Justice Dobbs, said the court was satisfied that if the jury had heard the new medical evidence at the trial "it might have affected their assessment of the reliability of the various confessions made by the appellant".
Alf Wilkins and his dog Lucky died in the blaze
He added: "The verdict might have been different."
Lord Richards said the judges had also borne in mind that the verdict was a majority of 10 to two and was returned after a "very long period of deliberation".
The court heard Mr Lawless had made various "confessions" to third parties, including regulars in a pub and a taxi driver.
He said he was the "lookout" in the attack, but he denied any involvement in police interviews and in court.
It has since emerged that he suffered from a personality disorder and that his need for attention was exacerbated when drinking.
No retrial was ordered.