Martin Foran conviction referred to Court of Appeal

A man's robbery conviction has been referred to the Court of Appeal after information emerged regarding a police officer's credibility, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said.

It said the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad officer was involved in the case against Martin Foran, who was tried in 1985 and jailed for eight years.

Foran was convicted of robbery and conspiracy to rob, the CCRC added.

The West Midlands Serious Crime Squad was disbanded in 1989.

The CCRC said Foran, who was tried at Birmingham Crown Court, was sentenced to six years in prison for robbery and a further two years, to run consecutively, for conspiracy to rob.

It added that the commission had decided to refer his convictions to the Court of Appeal "because it believes that there is a real possibility the court will quash the convictions".

'No longer sufficient'

The CCRC said: "The case is being referred on the basis that information, not previously considered in proceedings against Mr Foran, has come to light regarding the credibility of a police officer from the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad who was involved in the case against Mr Foran.

"This information, and a re-assessment of other matters relating to the officer that have previously been raised on Mr Foran's behalf, leads the commission to conclude that the officer's credibility is tainted."

It also said "developments in case law mean that the fact that the evidence of a tainted officer is supported by an officer to whom no criticism is attached, is no longer sufficient to uphold a conviction".

Foran sought to appeal against the convictions but his appeal was dismissed in July 1986, the CCRC said.

In 1992, he applied to the Home Office for a review of his case. It was reviewed and subsequently referred to the Court of Appeal.

Foran's second appeal was dismissed in February 1995.