Innocent Sam Hallam freed after seven years in prison for murderReported by Metro.co.uk on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 (on May 16, 2012)
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*A 24-year-old man who spent seven years in prison for murder has been freed after his QC declared he was the victim of a 'serious miscarriage of justice'.
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Sam Hallam leaves the Court of Appeal with his mother Wendy (Pic: PA)
Sam Hallam, now 24, was enjoying a Chinese meal with friends last night ahead of his return to court today to be formally cleared of killing trainee chef Essayas Kassahun in 2004.
He was released after prosecutors said they would not oppose his appeal, the latest step in a long-running campaign backed by actor Ray Winstone.
His freedom will be tainted by sadness, as his father, unable to cope with his son’s imprisonment, committed suicide while Sam was behind bars.
His brother, Danny, 29, said: ‘The first thing I’m going to do is to give him a big cuddle. I want to take him on holiday. He was never there in the first place. I hope he can move on and get on with his life.’
Sam was 17 when he was arrested for the murder on an estate in Clerkenwell, London. Although he insisted he was playing football at the time, he was convicted, along with another man, and jailed for 12 years.
In 2008, a case review found officers failed to check his alibi. One witness said he named Sam because he ‘just wanted someone to blame’.
Det Ch Insp Mike Broster – recently criticised by the coroner over the death of ‘spy in the bag’ Gareth Williams – was also accused over his handling of this case. Sam’s barrister, Henry Blaxland QC, told the Court of Appeal his client was the victim of ‘a serious miscarriage of justice’.
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