Mouncher investigation report
Richard Horwell QC’s report on the reasons for the collapse of the 'Mouncher and others' trial of 8 police officers in 2011.
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Richard Horwell QC’s investigation into the Mouncher trial was set up in early 2015, following consultation between the then Home Secretary and Attorney General. It investigated the collapse of the 2011 R v Mouncher and others trial against 8 police officers charged with perverting the course of justice for their role in the arrest and prosecution of 5 men for the murder of Lynette White in 1988 in Cardiff. Three of the 5 men were convicted of murder and later had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal. Subsequently, the real murderer was identified due to advances in DNA techniques.
The report of the independent investigation was published on 18 July. It concludes that the trial collapsed because of human errors by the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) rather than a deliberate attempt to cover up any crime. It makes 17 recommendations for the police and the CPS to improve the disclosure process.