Case closed

Cases closed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in the last year rose by 97 from 990 to 1,087, according to its annual report. Commission chairman, Professor Graham Zellick, says changes to the investigatory body’s systems had helped speed up the case closing process and had reduced waiting times—but he warns that the prospect of further budget reductions means the successes of the current year are unlikely to be carried over into subsequent years. The commission received 984 new applications in the year, 67 fewer than the previous year. In the year, the appeal courts decided the cases of 46 individuals previously referred by the commission. Of these, 65% resulted in a quashed conviction or a reduced sentence.