A man who spent nearly 38 years in prison in the UK for the murder of a woman in 1986 has had his conviction overturned after new DNA evidence emerged.
Peter Sullivan, now 68, was jailed for the killing of 21-year-old Diane Sindall in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Ms Sindall had been walking home from a bar shift when she was sexually assaulted and murdered.
The Court of Appeal quashed Mr Sullivan’s conviction on May 12 following a referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) – an organization that investigates potential wrongful convictions. Fresh forensic analysis of semen samples preserved from the crime scene produced a DNA profile pointing to an unknown man.
The testing, made possible by technological advancements, excluded Sullivan as the source of the DNA. It also ruled out Ms Sindall’s fiancé and the forensic investigator who collected the sample.
Appearing via video link from prison, Sullivan broke down in tears as the ruling was delivered. His solicitor read a statement on his behalf, in which he said: “I’m not angry, I’m not bitter.
“What happened to me was very wrong, but does not detract that what happened was a heinous and most terrible loss of life.”
The judge, Lord Justice Holroyde, said the new evidence rendered the conviction unsafe. He noted that the presence of semen was strongly indicative of the real perpetrator, and there was no evidence of consensual activity or involvement by more than one person.
Sullivan was initially convicted based on witness testimony, bite mark analysis, and inconsistent statements he gave to police. His defence argued he had learning difficulties and had been interviewed without legal representation or an appropriate adult.
The CCRC first reviewed Sullivan’s case in 2008 but found no realistic prospect of uncovering new DNA evidence. A second review in 2021, prompted by forensic advances, led to the referral, the BBC report.
Police have reopened the investigation and continue to search for the individual matching the new DNA profile, which has not returned a match on the national database.
Sullivan was released after spending 14,113 days in custody, including time on remand.
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