Innocent Eddie

My rather meagre Christmas was thoroughly spoilt by the news that Innocent Eddie Gilfoyle has finally been released. Not sad news, you might properly think. In itself, no. But...

Anyone remotely informed about the case against Eddie Gilfoyle will know that it is baseless. The evidence presented at his trial was both manipulated and manufactured. It was sparse then and as the years have passed that evidence has become non¬existent. Eddie is as innocent as I am guilty. Having shared his company, I can also tell you that he is a thoroughly decent bloke.

Eighteen years on, and still resolutely insisting his innocence, Eddie was released for Xmas. A bittersweet event as his release came not by order of the Court of Appeal, but by the Parole Board. His appeal continues.

What made me so angry about his release (along with The Times, who have campaigned on Eddie’s behalf) was one of the conditions that the Parole Board placed on his Life Licence. Eddie is not allowed to talk to the media about his case, even through third parties.

This is absolutely unprecedented, a condition never before placed upon a released Lifer. Should he breach this condition, he is liable to be recalled back to prison to continue his Life sentence.

This is shocking. It is also, unquestionably, illegal. Imagine the depths of depraved justification that the Parole Board sank to in order to impose this restriction. This is a man in a liberal democratic country. A man who claims he is innocent of his crime. A man who has persistently campaigned for his innocence in the media for the whole of his sentence. And now, on his conditional release, he is gagged from speaking in public, prevented under threat of imprisonment from simply stating the words, "I am innocent".

If anyone doubts the need for people such as myself to be allowed to speak, to campaign, then the situation of Eddie Gilfoyle alone provides a justification. These are the depths that our masters will sink to in order to hide their embarrassment. And I -amongst many - hope I won't ever let them get away with it. Will you?