Home / Crime and Justice / Wrongly Jailed Man Calls Sentence An Insult
Wrongly Jailed Man Calls Sentence An Insult
6 Jun
Summary
- Man wrongly imprisoned for 17 years for rape criticizes attacker's sentence.
- Attacker received 24 years for 2003 rape, strangulation, and assault.
- DNA evidence identified attacker two decades later, leading to conviction.
Andrew Malkinson has voiced his outrage over the 24-year sentence handed to Paul Quinn, the man responsible for the 2003 rape and assault for which Malkinson was wrongly imprisoned for over 17 years. Quinn was convicted of rape, strangulation, and causing grievous bodily harm earlier this year, with the evidence only linking him to the attack two decades later.
Malkinson stated that Quinn’s sentence was an insult, particularly as it was lighter than the life sentence initially imposed on him despite his innocence. The brutal attack occurred in the early hours of July 19, 2003, when Quinn followed a woman, dragged her to an embankment, and assaulted her, leaving her with severe facial injuries.
Malkinson, a former security guard, maintained his innocence but was convicted in 2004. His conviction was eventually quashed in 2023 after new DNA testing identified Quinn. The victim expressed that while justice had been served, the attack’s impact was lifelong, acknowledging the 17 years Malkinson lost due to the wrongful conviction.
Mr Justice Robert Bright, while sentencing Quinn, praised the victim’s courage. Court proceedings revealed Quinn’s history of previous sexual offense convictions, with DNA from an earlier case ultimately leading to his connection with the 2003 assault. Greater Manchester Police urged any further victims to come forward as legal proceedings concluded.
The fallout from Malkinson’s wrongful conviction is extensive. A public inquiry is examining how it persisted for years despite potentially exonerating evidence. Several Greater Manchester Police officers are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and senior figures at the Criminal Cases Review Commission have resigned.
