Convicted killer May in Commons debate

Susan May, the convicted killer from Royton whose appeal case has been turned down for the third time, will take part in a House of Commons debate tomorrow.

She has always protested her innocence but heard recently that her plea for a third appeal is not supported by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. It has now closed its files on her.

However her supporters say the CCRC’s latest report discredits two key witnesses which shows it is not fit for purpose.

Mrs May was convicted by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of killing frail, blind Hilda Marchbank (89), who was found smothered in her bed at her home in Tandle Hill Road, Royton in 1992. Two appeal hearings have failed to overturn the verdict.

Mrs May was released from Askham Grange prison in 2005 after serving 12 years.

She was pinning her hopes of overturning her conviction on the CCRC recommending a third appeal, but they were dashed earlier this year.

However she says the CCRC’s latest inquiry found “misleading” evidence which would now be likely to be viewed as “unreliable”.

But the CCRC still concluded Mrs May’s conviction was safe.

Now she will debate whether the CCRC is fit for purpose with academics, lawyers and campaigners in a House of Commons committee room tomorrow.

The speakers will be led by John McDonnell MP, and include Henry Blaxland QC, vice-chairman of the Criminal Appeal Lawyers’ Association, Dr Michael Naughton, senior lecturer at Bristol University and founder of Innocent Network UK, Mark Newby, a solicitor who is director of the Historical Abuse Appeals Panel, and Bob Woffinden, author and journalist.

Mrs May said: “The whole case is now totally different to that told to the jury. But my appeals have only been on parts of the evidence, no one has taken a look at the whole case.

“How can the CCRC prejudge what a jury will think about this new evidence? I keep writing to them, I will never give up, even though they say my case is closed.

“So much has come to light since the original trial and the key police witnesses have been discredited.”