Trial and Error by David Jessel

As Trial and Error was published in 1994, so many things could have changed, including the results of the cases featured in this book.

Over time I would like to research the individual cases to see just what affect this book (and the TV series) had on the court cases in general.

Were these convictions overturned?
Was true justice eventually carried out?

One particular case in this book fascinated me more than the others and that was the case of Sheila Bowler.

I would like to publish, on this lens, more information about this case in time.

Mark Cleary - A Murderer's Victim. Mark Cleary was convicted of killing a child, 10 year old Wayne Keeton in 1985 after dumping the body in a canal.
Mary Druhan - A Down and Out Injustice. A 53 year old down-and-out convicted of killing Kenny Roberts (her lover) and Dick Duddy by setting fire to the house they were sleeping in.
A Mere Entertainment. A reflection of the Miscarriages of Justice.
Peter Fell - 'I Only Wanted to be Somebody. Convicted in 1984 of a double murder.
Terry Allen - The Ones that Got Away. Convicted of killing Anita Kirkwood on 18th July 1985.
Omar Raddad - They Order Things Differently in France. Convicted of killing Mme Marchal on 23rd June 1991. 'Omar m'a tuer'
Gary Mills and Tony Poole - A Murder by Neglect. Convicted of killing Willie Wiltshire in January 1989.
'M'. - The Ones that Got Away. Convicted of murdering his baby brother.
Matthew Richardson/Maxine Ryks - The Ones that Got Away. Matthew Richardson convicted of killing prostitute Maxine Ryks.
Paul Blackburn - Work in Progress. Convicted at the age of 14 for attempted murder (and buggery) of a 9 year old boy.
Sheila Bowler - Murder in Toytown. Convicted of killing her Aunt Flo'.
Mark Cleary - Day of Judgement

Mark Cleary - 'His conviction was quashed by the Appeal Court on 3 May 1994, largely due to an investigation undertaken by the television programme Trial and Error.'

Gary Mills and Tony Poole - 'The case was referred back to the court of appeal by the CCRC in May 2002 and the men's convictions were quashed in June 2003.'

Mary Druhan: Mary Druhan, now in her 50s, walked free from the appeal court after spending 10 years in prison for a double murder. Three judges agreed the conviction was unsafe. Download Mary Druhan - A Down and Out Injustice.

Peter Fell: In December 2000 he was released on bail pending an appeal court hearing in March 2001 when his convictions were quashed.

Omar Raddad: Raddad is still considered a murderer in the eyes of the law.

Paul Blackburn: Paul was released on 25 May 2005 when his conviction was overturned.

Source: FIGHTING MISCARRIAGES OF JUSTICE since 1993

Sheila Bowler was convicted of the murder of her aunt, Florence Jackson on no evidence at all.

Florence Jackson was a resident in Greyfriars Residential Home after being judged incapable of looking after herself. She was 89.

One evening, Mrs Bowler took Aunt Flo out in her car (a green Audi) to take her home for a couple of days. She waned to assess whether Aunt Flo could be cared for at Fairmeadow, the Bowler's family home on the outskirts of Rye.

Thirteen hours later after leaving Greyfriars, Aunt Flo was found dead in the River Brede. She had been reported missing at midnight. Aunt Flo was found only 600 yards away from Shelia Bowler's car.

The motives of action: What happened?

Mrs Bowler didn't drive straight home: She drove towards Bexhill which is in the opposite direction to her home. Her reasoning was to pick up some protein powder from her supplier only to find that the powder had not arrived.

Two reasons were given for this detour:
Mrs Bowler made her plans on the spur of the moment and wanted to give Aunt Flo a pleasant summer's ride.
The other reason:
Mrs Bowler needed to use up time so that she could tip her Aunt into the river under cover of darkness.

The car started to handle badly: At Winchelsea (A259), on a hairpin bend, Mrs Bowler parked her car. She found that the front nearside type was also flat. She set off to search for help in the direction of some cottages a quarter of a mile up the road. After calling the Britannia Recovery Services in a friend's house (My Sloan) she was eventually connected at 10.21p.m. After a short while, she returned to the car accompanied by Mr and Mrs Sloan. She discovered that Aunt Flo was missing. It was thought that Aunt Flo couldn't moved very far or fast without her zimmer frame (which was left back at the residential home). A search was carried out with no success.

Another scenario (the one that convicted Mrs Bowler) was that Mrs Bowler drove down Station Road (left, on the apex of the bend) and parked her car by a pumping station, escorted her Aunt to the edge of the river and pushed her in. She then drove back the hairpin bend, let down her tyre and went off to seek help at the cottages.