Mistakes by a police force contributed to an innocent man being jailed for indecent assault, a watchdog has ruled.
Warren Blackwell, of Woodford Halse, was jailed having been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman with a history of false claims against men.
A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) criticised Northamptonshire Police’s handling of the case.
Mr Blackwell, 40, spent more than three years in jail before being cleared. The IPCC report said a detective was told the woman was “unreliable” and “unstable” but did not pass the information on.
Delay in apology Mr Blackwell was accused of a violent sexual assault by a woman who had suffered mental health problems and had a history of making false allegations.
The IPCC report criticised police for failing to challenge discrepancies in the woman’s account and for not interviewing witnesses whose evidence would have undermined her claims.
The report said one officer, which the IPCC felt should have faced a misconduct hearing, had retired from the force.
Two detectives have been given management advice about their conduct. Mr Blackwell had his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal in September 2006. Northamptonshire Police only apologised to Mr Blackwell four years after he had been cleared. The IPCC said it was “dismayed” it had taken so long to issue an apology.
Mr Blackwell was jailed after a woman claimed he indecently assaulted her outside a social club in the early hours of 1 January, 1999 after a New Year’s Eve party.
Mr Blackwell was convicted in October 1999 at Northampton Crown Court, despite maintaining his innocence.
He was jailed for three years – later increased to five.
But the conviction was overturned after the case was referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
Commissioner Amerdeep Somal, of the IPCC, said: “As the Court of Appeal has ruled, Warren Blackwell was subject to a terrible miscarriage of justice.
“Nothing can bring back the three years four months he wrongly spent in prison.
She said a request that the Chief Constable withdraw a commendation given to the detective constable by the former Chief Constable for the original investigation had not been accepted.
She also expressed her “deep dissatisfaction” for the “unacceptable” length of time the force had taken to resolve disciplinary matters.
“Such unnecessary delay is neither in the public interest, nor in the interest of all those involved, including the police officers,” she said.
In October 2006, Mr Blackwell’s accuser was named in the House of Lords by Labour peer Lord Campbell-Savours during exchanges about the rape laws.
“Warren Blackwell was subject to a terrible miscarriage of justice”
Commissioner Amerdeep Somal IPCC
BBC