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Oliver Campbell Plans Civil Lawsuit Against Met Police Over Alleged Coerced Confession

His lawyers say a civil claim is his only realistic route to redress under stringent post-2014 compensation rules.

Overview

  • Campbell, 55, who has severe learning difficulties from early brain damage, had his 1991 murder conviction quashed in 2024 as unsafe.
  • His legal team alleges officers exploited his vulnerabilities to “badger and bully” him into signing a false confession during 1990 interviews.
  • The Met rejects claims of manipulation, saying the quashing resulted from new expert evidence not available in 1991 and that he declined support after being deemed fit for interview.
  • Appeal evidence included a stolen British Knights cap with hairs not matching Campbell, suspects described as shorter than his 6ft 3in height, and a failure by the victim’s son to identify him.
  • Lawyers caution that official compensation is hard to obtain because applicants must prove innocence beyond reasonable doubt, and they expect any civil claim to be lengthy and contested.