Protest at Essex Police HQ demands release of documents & photos
Chelmsford, UK – 25 November 2021
For the first time, the Chief Constable of Essex, BJ Harrington, has admitted in a letter to human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell that he has possession of masses of evidence that was withheld from Jeremy Bamber’s lawyers at the time of his 1986 trial and later appeals. But the Chief Constable has said he is not willing to disclose it “at this time”.
In protest, 15 supporters of the Jeremy Bamber campaign team, including human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, picketed Essex police HQ today and handed-in a letter demanding the release of thousands of items of evidence that have never been disclosed by the police.
A copy of the letter that was handed in is available on request to Yvonne Hartley. See her contact details below.
“Neither the Chief Constable nor any senior officers were available or willing to accept the letter, so it was left at reception,” said Peter Tatchell, author of the letter.
“It is a huge breakthrough that Essex Police have finally admitted, for the very first time, that they possess evidence they have withheld from Jeremy Bamber’s legal team for 37 years.
“The wholesale police suppression of evidence means that Jeremy Bamber did not get a fair trial and his conviction is unsafe. To remedy this injustice, the Essex Chief Constable must now comply in full with court orders to hand over all the evidence to Bamber’s legal team,” said Mr Tatchell.
Yvonne Hartley of the Bamber campaign team added:
“Although the Court of Appeal has twice ordered full disclosure, these judicial instructions remain unfulfilled by Essex Police. All repeated and continuing requests for disclosure have been met with a refusal by successive Chief Constables.
“There was a partial disclosure of withheld evidence, but only after the 2002 appeal. 374,000 pages of documents were eventually provided to Jeremy and his campaign team in 2011, nine years later. Analysis of these documents revealed that thousands of other case documents and photographs still remain undisclosed by Essex Police. A significant portion of this withheld evidence would support Jeremy’s innocence. Jeremy Bamber is a victim of one of the worst and longest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.”
“Earlier this month, the Chief Constable of Essex, BJ Harrrington, refused the latest evidence disclosure request, made by Peter Tatchell,” said Hartley.
A copy of Tatchell’s letter to the Chief Constable and the Chief Constable’s reply is available on request to Yvonne Hartley. See her contact details below.
“On 28 October 1986, Jeremy Bamber was convicted of the murder of five members of his family in their home, White House Farm, in Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Essex, on 7 August 1985. Jeremy has maintained his innocence ever since and has now been in prison for over 36 years, subject to a Whole Life order, meaning that he is to never be released. He’s been held as a category A prisoner, despite him being a model inmate and despite psychiatric reports that found he is no danger to the public,” added Hartley.