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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| New witness over gangland murders | New witness over gangland murders |
| (1 day later) | |
| New witness evidence which a lawyer of one two men jailed for the "Essex Boys" gangland murders said could overturn their convictions has been revealed. | |
| Michael Steele, 64, and Jack Whomes, 46, received life sentences for the triple killing in Rettendon in 1995. | Michael Steele, 64, and Jack Whomes, 46, received life sentences for the triple killing in Rettendon in 1995. |
| Steele, of Great Bentley, Essex, and Whomes, of Brockford, Suffolk, were jailed for killing Patrick Tate, 36, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26. | Steele, of Great Bentley, Essex, and Whomes, of Brockford, Suffolk, were jailed for killing Patrick Tate, 36, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26. |
| Lawyer Chris Bowen put the evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission | |
| 'Justice miscarriage' | 'Justice miscarriage' |
| Speaking before he handed the new information to the commission on Wednesday Mr Bowen said a new witness had information that could "blow the case apart". | |
| The lawyer said the witness saw the three men in a Range Rover several hours after prosecutors said they were killed, in Workhouse Lane, Rettendon on the evening of 6 December 1995. | |
| Mr Bowen, who has worked on the case for more than 11 years, said Steele and Whomes were the victims of a miscarriage of justice. | Mr Bowen, who has worked on the case for more than 11 years, said Steele and Whomes were the victims of a miscarriage of justice. |
| He said: "I believe this evidence on its own indicates that the time of death intimated to the jury at the trial could not possibly have been correct. | He said: "I believe this evidence on its own indicates that the time of death intimated to the jury at the trial could not possibly have been correct. |
| "This in itself completely demolishes the prosecution case. | "This in itself completely demolishes the prosecution case. |
| Michael Steele and Jack Whomes are both serving life for murder | Michael Steele and Jack Whomes are both serving life for murder |
| "During the trial an independent witness [a local resident] said that six gunshots were heard near the village around midnight. This new evidence supports this version of events. | "During the trial an independent witness [a local resident] said that six gunshots were heard near the village around midnight. This new evidence supports this version of events. |
| "We say that unused material not used at the trial suggests the murders did indeed take place in the early hours of 7 December." | "We say that unused material not used at the trial suggests the murders did indeed take place in the early hours of 7 December." |
| Mr Bowen had until Wednesday to make final submissions to the commission on behalf of his client Steele, who is serving a life sentence at Cambridgeshire's Whitemoor jail. | |
| In 1998 Steele and Whomes were convicted of the triple murder at the Old Bailey, which heard that the murders followed a dispute over a drug deal. Judges upheld the convictions and rejected appeals from Whomes and Steele in 2006. | In 1998 Steele and Whomes were convicted of the triple murder at the Old Bailey, which heard that the murders followed a dispute over a drug deal. Judges upheld the convictions and rejected appeals from Whomes and Steele in 2006. |
| The trial became known as the Essex Boys case after it inspired a film of that name starring Sean Bean. | The trial became known as the Essex Boys case after it inspired a film of that name starring Sean Bean. |
| A spokeswoman for the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which can refer possible miscarriages of justice to the appeal courts, confirmed that a review of Steele and Whomes' case was active. | A spokeswoman for the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which can refer possible miscarriages of justice to the appeal courts, confirmed that a review of Steele and Whomes' case was active. |