AC3.2 Draw conclusions from information
Just Verdicts
A just verdict is a proper, lawful verdict made based on the facts in the case. An unjust
verdict is a verdict considered to be unfair or not morally correct, this can happen in cases
where evidence was fabricated, concealed or exaggerated.
Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence was an 18 year old from London who fell victim to a racially motivated
knife crime causing his death. The day after his murder, an anonomyus letter was left with
the names of the 4 white youths who killed Lawrence, the police began surveilling them. The
three witnesses who saw the murder take place described it as quick and brutal. After a
press conference from Lawrence’s parents put pressure on the police to quicken the
investigation, the suspects were arrested but only two were charged but denied the charges.
Shortly after this, the CPS dropped the case based on ‘unreliable evidence’ as none of the 3
witnesses could identify the murderers as well as the ID evidence provided by Dwayne
brookes being deemed unreliable. An internal review was opened into the police and CPS
handling of the case and Lawrence’s parents pursued private prosecution of the suspects.
Charges for Jamie Acourt and David Norris were dropped before the trial due to ‘insufficient
evidence’ whereas the other three were aquitted of murder by a jury in criminal court, the
verdict was awarded after justice Curtis deemed Dwayne Brookes to be unreliable and
denied his legitimacy as a witness. Proper legal action was finally taken over a decade later
in 2011 which sent two of the murderers to jail, a minimum of 15 years and 2 months for
Dobson and 14 years and 3 months for Norris. The pair tried to appeal their conviction and
were shut down; it was announced in 2013 that Dobson had completely dropped his appeal.
The amount of time it took to achieve justice is definitely unjust, as well as the fact that not
all the murderers were sentenced however, the right verdict was given to those who were
sentenced.
Miscarriages of Justice
A miscarriage of justice is a wrong and unjust decision made in a criminal or civil court which
sees the guilty go free and the innocent sentenced. The opposite of a miscarriage is when
the just and correct verdict is given in a case.
Case Study- Sean Hodgson
Sean Hodgson was accused and sentenced for the murder of Teresa De Simone in 1979. A
3 year police investigation led to Hodgsons arrest. Hodgson's record for dishonest offences
and his compulsive lying which led him to confess to crimes he had not committed made him
a perfect scapegoat for the police. Hodgson was sentenced to life imprisonment by a
unanimous jury verdict. After DNA evidence developed, police launched Operation Iceberg
which led them to David Lace. Lace had confessed to the murder when in custody for an
unrelated offence however police did nothing with this information as they believed the right
man was already serving time for the murder. After 27 years Sean Hodgson was released
from prison in one of the biggest miscarriage of justice cases in the UK. Hodgson was only
awarded £46 compensation to restart his life with, amounting to only £1.70 for each year he
Just Verdicts
A just verdict is a proper, lawful verdict made based on the facts in the case. An unjust
verdict is a verdict considered to be unfair or not morally correct, this can happen in cases
where evidence was fabricated, concealed or exaggerated.
Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence was an 18 year old from London who fell victim to a racially motivated
knife crime causing his death. The day after his murder, an anonomyus letter was left with
the names of the 4 white youths who killed Lawrence, the police began surveilling them. The
three witnesses who saw the murder take place described it as quick and brutal. After a
press conference from Lawrence’s parents put pressure on the police to quicken the
investigation, the suspects were arrested but only two were charged but denied the charges.
Shortly after this, the CPS dropped the case based on ‘unreliable evidence’ as none of the 3
witnesses could identify the murderers as well as the ID evidence provided by Dwayne
brookes being deemed unreliable. An internal review was opened into the police and CPS
handling of the case and Lawrence’s parents pursued private prosecution of the suspects.
Charges for Jamie Acourt and David Norris were dropped before the trial due to ‘insufficient
evidence’ whereas the other three were aquitted of murder by a jury in criminal court, the
verdict was awarded after justice Curtis deemed Dwayne Brookes to be unreliable and
denied his legitimacy as a witness. Proper legal action was finally taken over a decade later
in 2011 which sent two of the murderers to jail, a minimum of 15 years and 2 months for
Dobson and 14 years and 3 months for Norris. The pair tried to appeal their conviction and
were shut down; it was announced in 2013 that Dobson had completely dropped his appeal.
The amount of time it took to achieve justice is definitely unjust, as well as the fact that not
all the murderers were sentenced however, the right verdict was given to those who were
sentenced.
Miscarriages of Justice
A miscarriage of justice is a wrong and unjust decision made in a criminal or civil court which
sees the guilty go free and the innocent sentenced. The opposite of a miscarriage is when
the just and correct verdict is given in a case.
Case Study- Sean Hodgson
Sean Hodgson was accused and sentenced for the murder of Teresa De Simone in 1979. A
3 year police investigation led to Hodgsons arrest. Hodgson's record for dishonest offences
and his compulsive lying which led him to confess to crimes he had not committed made him
a perfect scapegoat for the police. Hodgson was sentenced to life imprisonment by a
unanimous jury verdict. After DNA evidence developed, police launched Operation Iceberg
which led them to David Lace. Lace had confessed to the murder when in custody for an
unrelated offence however police did nothing with this information as they believed the right
man was already serving time for the murder. After 27 years Sean Hodgson was released
from prison in one of the biggest miscarriage of justice cases in the UK. Hodgson was only
awarded £46 compensation to restart his life with, amounting to only £1.70 for each year he
