Independent on Sunday TV - Evidence-Based Justice Lab online -
Victor Nealon was jailed for life after being found guilty of attempted rape. Refusal to admit his guilt stopped his parole and he served a total of 17 years, until DNA evidence proved someone else committed the crime. He has never been compensated and under a new law, he never will. Independent on Sunday 18th January 2015 front page, ‘A Failure of Justice’
Victor Nealon was convicted of attempted rape outside a nightclub in Reddich. Nealon appeared at an ID parade. One of the seven witnesses picked him out, another picked him out but said he wasn’t sure, and another didn’t pick him out at the time but did so after he had seen Nealon with his solicitor. The other 4 witnesses either picked no one from the line up or picked someone other than Nealon. The complainant did not attend the ID parade. Nealon’s alibi was that he was at home watching videos with his wife and daughter, they made a mistake over the videos which was used by the police (he was not able to address this issue as it was not disclosed until after he had given evidence). DNA testing done in 2009 showed that the DNA present in all key intimate areas of the victim was of an unknown male and not Nealon. Evidence-Based Justice Lab online