The Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred the conviction for murder of Michael Webb to the Court of Appeal.
Mr Webb was convicted on 27 March 1996 at Stafford Crown Court of murdering Clarence Cooper at his Walsall home in August 1994. One co-defendant was also convicted of murder and a second co-defendant was convicted of manslaughter. Mr Webb was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The prosecution contended that Mr Webb was the leader of a gang involved in a joint enterprise to burgle 84-year-old Mr Cooper’s house. Mr Cooper was repeatedly stabbed in the neck but died from asphyxia as a result of being gagged with a handkerchief.
The Full Court dismissed an application for leave to appeal on 15 May 1997. Having made two unsuccessful applications to the Commission, in September 2004, the Commission received further correspondence from Mr Webb’s representatives which led it to reconsider its earlier decision of March 2004 not to refer Mr Webb’s case to the Court of Appeal.
Having considered issues including developments in the law relating to joint enterprise the Commission has decided to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal.
The Commission is the independent public body set up by Parliament in 1997 to investigate possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to decide if they should be referred to the appeal courts.
Mr Webb’s legal representative is Mr L D Neale, Neale & Co, 1-3 Harrison Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9AB, Tel 0121 377 6373.
This press release was issued by Boris Worrall, Head of Communication, Criminal Cases Review Commission on 0121 633 1806 or 07947 355231.
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