Eric Allison

Why I am convinced of Jeremy Bamber's Innocence by Eric Allison, Journalist

I started looking closely at Jeremy's conviction some years back. As a journalist, writing mainly on criminal justice/penal matters, I get to hear of many alleged wrongful convictions and try to approach each case in a calm, dispassionate manner. Thus it was when I wrote to Jeremy and began to delve into the background of the case that I became convinced of Jeremy’s innocence.

The majority of people reading this will be familiar with Jeremy's website and will know much of the mountain of evidence pointing to his innocence. Therefore, I will not go over that evidence here; other perhaps, than to point to the part of it that I find most compelling. I am totally convinced Sheila was alive in the house long after Jeremy was standing outside with the police. Never mind the logs which record a 'conversation’-between police and a person the house; never mind the 'sighting in the window', or the 'two dead bodies in the kitchen’ (one of which transferred to the bedroom.) Forget all of that and consider this: the police used a loud hailer to try and communicate with somebody in the house for two hours. Immediately after they ceased using the loudhailer, they called for back-up firearms teams, as a matter of urgency. Why would they do this if, as they insist now, there was no response from within the house? If you believe them; sign up for the Pigs Can Fly Club this minute.

But, evidence apart, there is another, even more compelling, reason for my belief in Jeremy's innocence; a reason which would make me a believer, without the evidence referred to earlier. Since I first contacted Jeremy, by letter, we have corresponded on a regular basis and I have received many dozens of letters from him. I also had the pleasure of speaking to him on the phone for a short while. Through those letters and phone calls, I feel I have got to know him well and, quite simply, find it impossible to believe he could have committed the awful crimes which led to him spending over a quarter of a century behind bars.

Like Jeremy. I have spent a large slice of my life in prison and I have come across many people who have committed heinous offences. Almost without exception, it was possible to see, in their characters, the propensity to carry out the acts for which they were convicted. The ability to judge one's fellow travellers is an important survival tool in prison and I have learned to trust my judgement. I repeat, there is nothing in Jeremy's character to even hint of his capability to slaughter his family.

The criminal justice system, of course, will not rely on such character assessment, despite Jeremy flying past numerous psychological tests-and a lie detector trial. But it will do for me and I do not have to wait until the system finally admits its mistake: Jeremy Bamber is innocent.OK.