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Ali Dizaei appeal against conviction rejected | Ali Dizaei appeal against conviction rejected |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former Met Police commander Ali Dizaei has lost an appeal against convictions for misconduct and perverting the course of justice. | |
Dizaei, 50, from Acton, west London, was jailed in 2010 for framing a businessman after a row. | Dizaei, 50, from Acton, west London, was jailed in 2010 for framing a businessman after a row. |
He was found guilty for a second time at a retrial last year after his first conviction was quashed. | He was found guilty for a second time at a retrial last year after his first conviction was quashed. |
The Court of Appeal dismissed claims that the trial judge made an error of judgement over character evidence. | The Court of Appeal dismissed claims that the trial judge made an error of judgement over character evidence. |
'Bad character' | 'Bad character' |
Dizaei's QC Stephen Riordan had said the conviction was "unsafe" as the judge had not allowed certain "bad character" evidence relating to the businessman, Waad al-Baghdadi. | |
Opposing the appeal, Peter Wright QC, for the Crown, told the court: "There was no error by the judge in the exercise he undertook. The decision was not wrong in law." | |
At the second trial, Dizaei was also convicted of misconduct in a public office. | At the second trial, Dizaei was also convicted of misconduct in a public office. |
He received a three-year prison sentence, although London's Southwark Crown Court reduced this by the 15 months he had already served and he has been released. | He received a three-year prison sentence, although London's Southwark Crown Court reduced this by the 15 months he had already served and he has been released. |
Dizaei was sacked by the Metropolitan Police last May following internal disciplinary proceedings. | Dizaei was sacked by the Metropolitan Police last May following internal disciplinary proceedings. |
After the ruling, Daniel Godden, partner at Hodge Jones and Allen, the law firm representing Dizaei, said: "We are disappointed that the Court of Appeal did not hold Ali Dizaei's conviction to be unsafe." | |
But he added the firm "has potentially discovered fresh evidence" relating to Mr al-Baghdadi "which the Court of Appeal did not consider and the case will now be referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission". | |
The Commission is an independent body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice. | |
Dizaei was a police officer for 27 years, beginning his career with Thames Valley Police then working with the Met. |