The case of James Hanratty

[Steve_uk]

Which moj's was Paul Foot involved with other than Bridgwater 4?

You believe Prof Vanezis overlooked these so-called injuries during the pm despite observing and noting minor details such as nicotine stains to fingers, stretch marks and scars from breast implants?  You believe there was further incompetence/neglect in that the pathologist for the defence also failed to observe and note these so-called injuries seen only by the likes of Bill and Roch 

This book is frightening. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Killed-Hanratty-Paul-Foot/dp/0586038132

[ILB]

This book is frightening. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Killed-Hanratty-Paul-Foot/dp/0586038132

Believe Mr foot also strongly campaigned for a posthumous pardon for James Hanratty. The A6 murderer. Until 2002 when exhumed scientific evidence brought the conclusion he was gulity all along. However I am aware that many still dispute the conviction.

Read that book before Steve. It was clear alphon was a attention seeker craving notoriety

[ILB]

The Establishment doesn't exhume unless pushed. Possible to plant DNA evidence. I still feel uneasy about the conviction.

It was a strange case indeed.

Hanratty was an experienced car Thief. Yet Valerie storie stated that the killer couldn't operate a Manual motor car.

[Steve_uk]

It was a strange case indeed.

Hanratty was an experienced car Thief. Yet Valerie storie stated that the killer couldn't operate a Manual motor car.

Yes and Alphon couldn't drive well. I'm really not sure on this case. I can't rule out a miscarriage of justice.

[ngb1066]

Yes and Alphon couldn't drive well. I'm really not sure on this case. I can't rule out a miscarriage of justice.

I always believed this to be a miscarriage of justice until the last appeal.  I can remember (just) the execution at Bedford Prison and it was one of the reasons I became an opponent of capital punishment.  I remember Hanratty's father campaigning until his death.  Later as a law student I met Michael Sherrard who represented Hanratty at trial. He was clearly haunted by the case, because there were some criticisms of his conduct of the defence.  Later still I was in chambers with Mike Mansfield who represented Hanratty's family at his final appeal. I always thought it was a terrible miscarriage of justice but I am afraid that those of us who thought that were wrong.  Mike Mansfield put up a valiant fight but the DNA evidence was overwhelming in the end.  Sherrard accepted it then which must have given him some closure.  It was horrible for the family but Hanratty was a murdering rapist and cruelly treated his family by protesting his innocence to the end and begging them to fight to clear his name posthumously.  They courageously devoted their lives to the cause.

An interesting aside to the story, possibly of interest to Steve, is that the prison chaplain who ministered to Hanratty in his final days and hours was Basil Hume, later cardinal and head of the RC church in Britain.  He took Hanratty's final confession.

   

[Steve_uk]

I always believed this to be a miscarriage of justice until the last appeal.  I can remember (just) the execution at Bedford Prison and it was one of the reasons I became an opponent of capital punishment.  I remember Hanratty's father campaigning until his death.  Later as a law student I met Michael Sherrard who represented Hanratty at trial. He was clearly haunted by the case, because there were some criticisms of his conduct of the defence.  Later still I was in chambers with Mike Mansfield who represented Hanratty's family at his final appeal. I always thought it was a terrible miscarriage of justice but I am afraid that those of us who thought that were wrong.  Mike Mansfield put up a valiant fight but the DNA evidence was overwhelming in the end.  Sherrard accepted it then which must have given him some closure.  It was horrible for the family but Hanratty was a murdering rapist and cruelly treated his family by protesting his innocence to the end and begging them to fight to clear his name posthumously.  They courageously devoted their lives to the cause.

An interesting aside to the story, possibly of interest to Steve, is that the prison chaplain who ministered to Hanratty in his final days and hours was Basil Hume, later cardinal and head of the RC church in Britain.  He took Hanratty's final confession.

   

NGB1066 is there any way the DNA could have been planted or contaminated?

[killingeve]

NGB1066 is there any way the DNA could have been planted or contaminated?

Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. I looked in his eyes and he looked in mine. I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. I had found the guilty person."

[ngb1066]

NGB1066 is there any way the DNA could have been planted or contaminated?

It is theoretically possible but in the context of the case highly unlikely.   Mike Mansfield did his best to advance the contamination argument.  He based it on the fact that the exhibits had got mixed up over the years and not looked after as they would be now.  In particular there was a phial in the exhibits which was broken at some stage.  It may have originally contained semen samples taken from Hanratty's trousers following his arrest.  It was argued that this might have contaminated Valerie Storie's knickers. This could not be excluded as an extremely remote but theoretically possible event.  However, the only staining on the knickers containing DNA was that of Hanratty and Michael Gregson, (Valeries's murdered boyfriend) even though there was other extensive staining (I am sorry to be so explicit, but it is necessary in order to explain).  It was beyond belief that if Hanratty was not responsible there was no trace at all of the DNA of the rapist.  At the end of the day anything is a theoretical possibility, but the odds here are absolutely overwhelming against Hanratty.

This was a major blow for Paul Foot who campaigned for many years on behalf of the Hanratty family.  Even after the final appeal he found it very difficult to accept, although I understand that he did contemplate before his death that he may have been wrong.

[Rob_]

Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. I looked in his eyes and he looked in mine. I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. I had found the guilty person."

Which is why she picked out an innocent man when Peter Alphon was put in a line up 

[Steve_uk]

Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. I looked in his eyes and he looked in mine. I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. I had found the guilty person."

NGB1066 has stated he believed this a miscarriage of justice until the DNA evidence emerged. After I read Peter Wright's 1987 book Spycatcher I wouldn't put anything past the Secret Services. I wondered whether MI5 had broken into the laboratory containing the DNA samples.

I do not like having to doubt the conviction of a murdering rapist to quote NGB1066s words. The case is not a straightforward one Cambridgecutie. For example on the first identity parade Valerie Storie failed to pick Hanratty out. That's just one of the incidences which raises doubt in my mind.

[ngb1066]

Which is why she picked out an innocent man when Peter Alphon was put in a line up 

That is true.  It was a powerful defence point at trial.  There were some other good defence points, including the very late alibi evidence.  Without the much later DNA evidence this was a completely unsafe conviction and I do not doubt that if the final appeal had been heard ten years earlier the result would have been different. 

[Steve_uk]

It is theoretically possible but in the context of the case highly unlikely.   Mike Mansfield did his best to advance the contamination argument.  He based it on the fact that the exhibits had got mixed up over the years and not looked after as they would be now.  In particular there was a phial in the exhibits which was broken at some stage.  It may have originally contained semen samples taken from Hanratty's trousers following his arrest.  It was argued that this might have contaminated Valerie Storie's knickers. This could not be excluded as an extremely remote but theoretically possible event.  However, the only staining on the knickers containing DNA was that of Hanratty and Michael Gregson, (Valeries's murdered boyfriend) even though there was other extensive staining (I am sorry to be so explicit, but it is necessary in order to explain).  It was beyond belief that if Hanratty was not responsible there was no trace at all of the DNA of the rapist.  At the end of the day anything is a theoretical possibility, but the odds here are absolutely overwhelming against Hanratty.

This was a major blow for Paul Foot who campaigned for many years on behalf of the Hanratty family.  Even after the final appeal he found it very difficult to accept, although I understand that he did contemplate before his death that he may have been wrong.

Yes I suppose that is the clincher, if none of Alphon's DNA was present. I don't see how MI5 or other agencies could have removed those traces.

[Rob_]

NGB1066 has stated he believed this a miscarriage of justice until the DNA evidence emerged. After I read Peter Wright's 1987 book Spycatcher I wouldn't put anything past the secret services. I wondered whether MI5 had broken into the laboratory containing the DNA samples.

I do not like having to doubt the conviction of a murdering rapist to quote NGB1066s words. The case is not a straightforward one Cambridgecutie. For example on the first identity parade Valerie Storie failed to pick Hanratty out. That's just one of the incidences which raises doubt in my mind.

Steve you obviously know a lot more than me about this case, do you know why the DNA odds of a match were relatively low they are normally in the billions?

[Rob_]

That is true.  It was a powerful defence point at trial.  There were some other good defence points, including the very late alibi evidence.  Without the much later DNA evidence this was a completely unsafe conviction and I do not doubt that if the final appeal had been heard ten years earlier the result would have been different.

Witnesses are very unreliable because the police often put them under extreme pressure!

[Steve_uk]

Steve you obviously know a lot more than me about this case, do you know why the DNA odds of a match were relatively low they are normally in the billions?

Well it's only tonight that I accept that if Alphon's DNA wasn't present on the knickers or handkerchief it's almost impossible to explain, unless the exhibits were washed and then DNA of Hanratty added. I'm still uncomfortable with the case for several reasons.