THE STOLEN YEARS - Sean Hodges

How can 27 years be replaced? Who has the right to remove a man's life, deny him his children and grandchildren and send his parent's to the grave knowing their son is in prison for murder?

Is it the police, the judiciary, the forensic science service or some other toxic mix of officials making mistakes that cost others their lives?

I shudder each time I read that someone has been sentenced, because while it may appear superficially that justice has been done and society is a safer place, my doubts remain. Am I witness to another murder, the resolution of which will only be achieved in an appeal court's decision 27 years hence?

Except with this murder, no one is charged. The police, the judges, the forensic science service and others can play with their children and grandchildren and nostalgically recall their life's memories. After all, do they muse, a large compensation award will make up for their mistakes?

Our 'civilised' society can no longer tolerate these aberrations.

Perhaps there needs to be an independent appeal body set up to scrutinise routinely every sentence. Then those which are unsafe may be detected sooner and those who may have played their part in a miscarriage of justice might face penalties themselves.