On the 9th July, 2008, Gareth Jones was found guilty in the Crown Court at Cardiff of an offence contrary to s.38 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. He was sentenced later that month to nine years imprisonment, later reduced on appeal to seven years.
Today the Court of Appeal handed down its judgment quashing his conviction.
Law students and academics at Cardiff University have spent over six years working on this case, and Philip Evans QC and Tim Naylor (previously of QEB Hollis Whiteman), both Cardiff alumni were delighted to act pro bono in the early stages of the case and throughout the Court of Appeal proceedings. Philip Evans QC has been a long-standing supporter of the University project.
Following the decision, Dr Dennis Eady, of the School of Law and Politics, said:
“We first became aware of Gareth’s case in 2012 through his long-term supporter Paula Morgan. It has taken six years of tireless work by students, Paula, and our supporters to review this case. Based on their findings, the Court of Appeal has decided that this conviction is unsafe. We welcome their decision.”
You can read the judgment here. For more information please see the Cardiff University website.
Philip Evans KC