A man who served almost 38 years in prison for the murder of a woman has had his conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal after new DNA evidence emerged. Peter Sullivan was jailed for the 1986 killing of 21-year-old Diane Sindall, who was brutally attacked and murdered in Birkenhead, Merseyside, as she walked home from a shift at a local pub.
Sullivan’s case was referred back to the appeal court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) after new DNA testing revealed a profile that did not match Sullivan but indicated an unknown attacker. This fresh evidence came from semen samples preserved from the crime scene, which had not been able to be analyzed until recent advances in DNA testing technology.
Now aged 68, Sullivan’s wrongful conviction marks one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Appearing via video-link from prison, Sullivan was visibly emotional when he was told he would be released. In a statement read by his solicitor, Sullivan expressed that he held no anger or bitterness, acknowledging the heinous nature of the crime but emphasizing that it did not diminish the injustice he had endured.
Sullivan’s sister, Kim Smith, spoke to the emotional toll of the case, saying that while they were relieved to have Sullivan back, the tragic loss of Sindall’s life remained. She stated, “They’ve lost their daughter, they are not going to get her back. We’ve got Peter back, and now we’ve got to try and build a life around him again.”
The case highlights the limitations of forensic technology in the past. At the time of the murder, DNA testing was not yet available, and the semen samples collected from Sindall’s body could not be analyzed. The initial conviction relied on witness testimony, inconsistent confessions from Sullivan, and bite mark evidence that has since been discredited by modern forensic standards. Sullivan’s defense argued that he had learning difficulties and was easily influenced, which led him to provide conflicting accounts and confessions without legal representation or an appropriate adult present during his interviews.
Merseyside Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had maintained that the technology to test the samples simply did not exist at the time of the crime. However, after the new DNA evidence came to light, both the CPS and the police accepted that the conviction could not be upheld. The DNA profile from the semen samples did not match Sullivan or his known associates, and no cross-contamination during the collection process was found. Additionally, there was no evidence to suggest that the semen found at the scene was from consensual sexual activity.
After his release, Sullivan spent 38 years, seven months, and 21 days in prison. His case drew attention to the flaws in the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to reliance on outdated forensic evidence. The renewed investigation into Sindall’s murder continues, as police have yet to identify the real killer. More than 260 men have been screened and eliminated from suspicion since the investigation was reopened, and the National Crime Agency is assisting with the search for the person whose DNA was found at the scene.
Despite the long battle for justice, Sullivan’s case remains a powerful reminder of the importance of advancing forensic science and ensuring that every effort is made to correct miscarriages of justice.
