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| Arms-to-Iraq case manufacturer receives record compensation | Arms-to-Iraq case manufacturer receives record compensation |
| (30 days later) | |
| An arms manufacturer has received record compensation understood to amount to about £5m for a miscarriage of justice 25 years ago, the Guardian has learned. | An arms manufacturer has received record compensation understood to amount to about £5m for a miscarriage of justice 25 years ago, the Guardian has learned. |
| James Edmiston, the former owner of the Sterling Armament Company, who was accused of trying to sell machine guns to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, has told David Cameron the officials responsible must be punished. | James Edmiston, the former owner of the Sterling Armament Company, who was accused of trying to sell machine guns to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, has told David Cameron the officials responsible must be punished. |
| He is also demanding the reinstatement of the scheme covering victims of wrongful charge, which was suddenly scrapped by the Labour government after he was told he could benefit from it. | He is also demanding the reinstatement of the scheme covering victims of wrongful charge, which was suddenly scrapped by the Labour government after he was told he could benefit from it. |
| Edmiston was acquitted in 1985 after being arrested in 1983 for allegedly trying to sell the machine guns in breach of an arms embargo. The Scott arms-to-Iraq inquiry discovered that Customs investigators had colluded with Foreign Office officials to stop witnesses appearing for the defence at his trial. | Edmiston was acquitted in 1985 after being arrested in 1983 for allegedly trying to sell the machine guns in breach of an arms embargo. The Scott arms-to-Iraq inquiry discovered that Customs investigators had colluded with Foreign Office officials to stop witnesses appearing for the defence at his trial. |
| Senior judges described the conduct of the officials as "disgraceful and reprehensible", and that their "machinations" constituted "such an interference with the justice system as to amount to an abuse of it". | Senior judges described the conduct of the officials as "disgraceful and reprehensible", and that their "machinations" constituted "such an interference with the justice system as to amount to an abuse of it". |
| An internal FCO note by Patrick Nixon, a senior diplomat, said: "I confess to innocent reluctance to connive at impeding the course of justice." | An internal FCO note by Patrick Nixon, a senior diplomat, said: "I confess to innocent reluctance to connive at impeding the course of justice." |
| Lord Brennan QC, the Home Office assessor who agreed to grant the award in 2008, said at the time: "The circumstances of this application reveal a miscarriage of justice that has led to a personal tragedy, a broken family, and the loss of a business … I am quite satisfied that there was misconduct in the investigation and prosecution of this case involving government officials." | Lord Brennan QC, the Home Office assessor who agreed to grant the award in 2008, said at the time: "The circumstances of this application reveal a miscarriage of justice that has led to a personal tragedy, a broken family, and the loss of a business … I am quite satisfied that there was misconduct in the investigation and prosecution of this case involving government officials." |
| Lawrence Kormornick, Edmiston's lawyer, said: "Public accountability is a fundamental issue in the James Edmiston case given judicial censure of the misconduct by senior officials, and the apparent absence of any action taken." He said Edmiston had written to Cameron, requesting an apology. | Lawrence Kormornick, Edmiston's lawyer, said: "Public accountability is a fundamental issue in the James Edmiston case given judicial censure of the misconduct by senior officials, and the apparent absence of any action taken." He said Edmiston had written to Cameron, requesting an apology. |
| The Scott inquiry led to the quashing of a series of convictions and charges against company executives relating to the sale of arms to Iraq. The inquiry revealed that Whitehall export guidelines were being undermined secretly by the government itself. | The Scott inquiry led to the quashing of a series of convictions and charges against company executives relating to the sale of arms to Iraq. The inquiry revealed that Whitehall export guidelines were being undermined secretly by the government itself. |
| Kormornick said: "Serious questions remain over the government's handling of the crisis, that the officials concerned have apparently avoided censure, the delay in compensating victims, the absence of any apology, the lack of accountability, and the sudden withdrawal in April 2006 of a government compensation scheme leaving many victims of wrongful charge uncompensated." | Kormornick said: "Serious questions remain over the government's handling of the crisis, that the officials concerned have apparently avoided censure, the delay in compensating victims, the absence of any apology, the lack of accountability, and the sudden withdrawal in April 2006 of a government compensation scheme leaving many victims of wrongful charge uncompensated." |
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