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Stockwell Six: Ronald De Souza cleared of attempting to rob cop Two framed by corrupt BTP officer Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell cleared
(about 1 hour later)
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of two men on Thursday
A man wrongfully convicted of the attempted robbery of a corrupt police officer more than 50 years ago has had his name cleared at the Court of Appeal.
Ronald De Souza was detained for six months following a case investigated by British Transport Police (BTP) officer Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell, who was responsible for a series of racist miscarriages of justice.
Mr De Souza was part of the group known as the Stockwell Six. They were accused of trying to rob Ridgewell while on a night out in south London in 1972, despite telling jurors that officers had lied and subjected them to violence and threats.
Another of Ridgewell's victims, Errol Campbell, had his conviction overturned posthumously.
Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell was responsible for a series of racist miscarriages of justiceDet Sgt Derek Ridgewell was responsible for a series of racist miscarriages of justice
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) reviewed Mr De Souza's conviction after the convictions of his co-defendants Paul Green, Courtney Harriot, Cleveland Davidson and Texo Johnson were quashed in 2021. Two men wrongly convicted in separate trials in the 1970s following allegations made by a corrupt police officer have had their names cleared by the Court of Appeal.
Errol Campbell, who died in 2004, was jailed for 18 months for theft and conspiracy to steal while Ronald De Souza, who was part of the group known as the Stockwell Six, was detained for six months for attempted robbery.
Both were convicted based on evidence given by British Transport Police (BTP) officer Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell, who was responsible for racist miscarriages of justice. So far, all 13 referred cases have been overturned.
Lord Justice Holroyde said it was with "regret" the court could not undo their suffering.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) carried out a range of investigations into the misconduct of Ridgewell, who fabricated evidence that led to convictions that lasted long after his death in 1982.
Ridgewell confronted mostly young, black men and falsely accused them of theft and robbery offences, the CCRC said.
'State crime'
In April 1977, Mr Campbell was found guilty of theft and conspiracy to steal from the Bricklayers Arms Goods Depot, where he was a British Rail employee. He was sentenced to a total of 18 months' imprisonment.
Ridgewell led the case against Mr Campbell and several others, but along with colleagues Det Con Douglas Ellis and Det Con Alan Keeling, later pleaded guilty to stealing from the same goods depot. Ridgewell was jailed for seven years in 1980 after stealing more than £1m in goods.
In August 2023, the CCRC referred the convictions of Mr Campbell's co-defendants, Saliah Mehmet and Basil Peterkin, after it tracked down their family members.
Their convictions were both quashed in January 2024.
Henry Blaxland KC, representing Mr Campbell, told the court it was dealing with victims of miscarriage of justice brought about by "state crime".
He added the case "throws a shadow over the administration of justice and led to loss of confidence not only in the police, but in the legal system as a whole".
Mr Campbell's son, Errol Campbell Jr, said his father always told him he was innocent
In a statement read out by his solicitor, Matt Foot, Errol Campbell Jr, the son of Errol Campbell, said: "The British Transport Police knew that Detective Sergeant Derek Ridgewell was corrupt, and they let him carry on regardless with what he was doing.
"My dad always said he was innocent, and today, that's finally been confirmed, almost 50 years later.
"He came to England in the Windrush generation and worked for years for British Rail. The conviction caused absolute misery to my dad and our family.
"I'm angry that Ridgewell is not alive for this day and that he never went to prison for all the people he fitted up. He never answered for his crimes."
'Bore the burden'
The CCRC reviewed Mr De Souza's conviction after the convictions of his co-defendants Paul Green, Courtney Harriot, Cleveland Davidson and Texo Johnson were quashed in 2021.
The sixth member of the so-called Stockwell Six, Everet Mullins, was acquitted because it was shown that his reading ability was not good enough for him to have read and fully understood his signed statement, which was written for him by Ridgewell.The sixth member of the so-called Stockwell Six, Everet Mullins, was acquitted because it was shown that his reading ability was not good enough for him to have read and fully understood his signed statement, which was written for him by Ridgewell.
In his ruling on Thursday, Lord Justice Holroyde said that Mr De Souza, who did not attend court, "bore the burden of his wrongful conviction throughout his adult life".In his ruling on Thursday, Lord Justice Holroyde said that Mr De Souza, who did not attend court, "bore the burden of his wrongful conviction throughout his adult life".
"We regret this court cannot put right all that he has suffered over half a century," he said."We regret this court cannot put right all that he has suffered over half a century," he said.
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