Your Voices
I read the article in *The New Statesman* shortly after Siôn Jenkins’ original conviction.
In this Bob Woffinden pointed out, among other things, that the perpetrator should have had MUCH MORE BLOOD, clearly visible, on his clothing, and also that Siôn Jenkins simply did not have time to commit the murder.
I have been interested to follow events ever since.
Another appalling aspect of the case was that Siôn was assaulted immediately after the court verdict of not guilty. I did not read anywhere in the newspapers that anybody was ever prosecuted for this assault! Why was this?
JM
Thank goodness Siôn’s free, but more importantly, and far more sinister even than his wrongful imprisonment, is that the REAL killer is still enjoying the freedom that Siôn lost.
JC
Dear Siôn,
I have followed this case for years through the courts and I’m very happy that you are a free man. I could never understand why it was felt relevant that you lied about your qualifications on your CV so therefore could be a murderer. I am a Human Resources Director and I rarely see a true CV.
As for your ex-wife, she has done a pretty terrible thing but the word I would use is “unsustainable”. She has told a pack of lies and moved the kids as far as she can from the truth. Kids grow up and I hope that they will one day come to find you.
…you were not acquitted on a technicality…you were *convicted* on one, and so you are no more a murderer in my eyes than the man across the road. I wish you a peaceful mind because the last 10 years must have scorched your brain!
AH
As a retired Police Officer, (not Sussex), I have long been alarmed by this case and although there may be defects in Jenkins’ character, I have always been completely convinced that he did not commit this murder.
The problem with any murder investigation is that the success or otherwise, to a large degree has always hinged on the competence or otherwise of the officer in charge. If the OIC goes off at a tangent or gets bogged down with an incorrect theory, things can and do go wrong.
What is all the more incredible about this case is that many intelligent people who have followed the whole case in detail will like me, have realized that there is a good suspect for this murder and that the police know the identity of this man. All the more incredible therefore that the officer in the case has acted in such a blinkered way.
To me, the overwhelming piece of evidence that should have pointed the Police in the right direction is the polythene in the nostril. How do the Police explain this away? I feel that the investigation should be re-opened and put in the hands of a competent officer. I can’t ever recall another miscarriage of justice where the solution was so obvious!
DW
The plastic forced up the nose of this murder victim seems to be unbelievably overlooked everywhere and the suspect with a known mental health problem is rather obviously a contender.
Surely if this man who is the initial other suspect were found guilty it would suggest the failure of the Care in the community scheme or whatever it is called. I sincerely hope that Jenkins was not ‘fitted up’ to cover up what would cause huge governmental embarrassement…
GW
I live in Manchester. I followed Siôn’s case from the word go. I never believed he had committed the crime, never.
When he was jailed I said to my husband “mark my words, one day that man will be aquitted”.
I am glad I was right. I wish Siôn all the best in his life now and want him to know that he had a lot of public support.
God Bless.
JB
Excellent news.
This has got to be one of the most terrible examples of miscarriages of justice in recent history. It seemed to me as if the police chose their suspect then bent over backwards to fit the facts of the crime around him. NOT the way to investigate things at all.
If possible could you pass on my good wishes to Mr Jenkins and his new wife, and wish them the best for the future. I hope they find peace at last.
Sincerely
SB
We are Australians and attended the trial of summer 2005. We believed Siôn and were pleased with the result today. We felt that we should trust our instincts rather than try to use finely balanced evidence to support prejudices. We felt that Siôn sould be believed. He said he was innocent and we believe him.
We wish you both the future you deserve now. Hopefully Siôn’s children will be reconciled and will come to understand and believe their dad. Together they can lay the matter to rest in the most important way.
You will never be the same but you can have good lives from now on.
DK
Please pass on to Siôn Jenkins my best wishes for the future. I am delighted that he has been aquitted. A dear friend of mine is currently one year into a 15 year sentence for murdering his first wife in 1976. He is totally innocent and watching Siôn emerge a free man last week has given us courage to fight on.
His comments about the police fit that case down to the ground!
I wish Siôn and his family well as they readjust to ‘normal’ life.
CK
Congratulations to everyone who fought Siôn’s corner — an excellent end result. What a shame he had to wait so long for justice.
Let’s hope the Sussex police, especially Jeremy Paine, also find justice for their shocking incompetence and arrogant assumptions.
EC
I am delighted that, at last, Siôn Jenkins is free. I have always had doubts about this case and having read much of the evidence and witness statements and listened closely to the trial different proceedings I have believed from the beginning that he is innocent.
It seems to me that the police decided that Sion Jenkins had “done it” and fitted their case round that. I also think that Siôn is a good subject for a certain type of media coverage — the story has all the right ingredients for him to be “selected” for manipulative hype — school teacher / nice family / pretty foster daughter / violent death. But the fact remains that after all these years the real killer is still free and Siôn has been subjected to 9 years of something I can’t imagine.
Thank goodness that ‘expert witnesses’ can no longer be believed without question!
Good luck to Siôn and his wife. The only time that matters now is the future.
CB
Congratulations, Siôn, on finally getting justice. It was evident from very early on that the Police were intent on a quick conviction, and having decided on their victim bent and twisted all the facts to fit the case and sadly your family were brain washed to fit their erroneous hypothesis.
there are so many ordinary people who simply did not believe that you were responsible. Ordinary families like ours, who also fostered children and understood all the ups and downs of these relationships… I felt your conviction left all of us foster carers even more vulnerable than before.
I send my warm best wishes for your future happiness and hope you can find a way to relate again to your daughters and forgive them their previous doubts
take care
TP
I…m writing to say how pleased i was to the news of his acquittal. like Siôn I’m facing the same ordeal and hopefully our case goes back to the appeal courts shortly after three years battling to get our case heard. Our case revolves around expert witnessess or so called expert witnesses.
send my best to Siôn, and hope he can start to rebuild his life
KH