On the 26th July 2023, the Court of Appeal quashed Andrew Malkinson’s convictions in respect of which he had served more than 17 years in prison. Set out below is a brief timeline of Andrew Malkinson’s case, starting with the attack in respect of which he was arrested to the establishment of the Andrew Malkinson Inquiry.
July 2003 – A woman reported she was attacked and raped as she walked home in the early hours of the morning.
August 2003 – Andrew Malkinson was arrested.
February 2004 – Andrew Malkinson stood trial before HHJ Henshall and a jury in the Crown Court at Manchester, Crown Square. The prosecution relied on the identification evidence of three witnesses. There was no scientific evidence which could support the identification of Andrew Malkinson. Andrew Malkinson was convicted of three counts – attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent to rape, vaginal rape and anal rape – by a majority on each count of 10 to 2.
March 2004 – Andrew Malkinson was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the three counts concurrent, with a determinate sentence of 6 years and 125 days to be served before he can be considered for parole.
July 2006 – Andrew Malkinson appealed against his convictions to the Court of Appeal. His appeal was dismissed.
November 2006 – Operation Cube was established to conduct a review of the techniques used to analyse forensic evidence. It facilitates the reanalysis of DNA crime scene samples with the aim of potentially detecting unsolved crimes.
2007 to 2008 – Operation Cube identified over 800 full, partial and mixed DNA profiles. This included Andrew Malkinon’s case in which a DNA profile was identified from crime scene samples which matched an unidentified man.
July 2009 – Andrew Malkinson made his first application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), requesting a review of his case.
February 2012 – The CCRC declined to refer Andrew Malkinson’s case to the Court of Appeal.
June 2018 – Andrew Malkinson made a second application to the CCRC.
January 2020 – The CCRC declined to refer Andrew Malkinson’s case to the Court of Appeal for a second time.
December 2020 – Andrew Malkinson was released from prison on licence.
May 2021 – Andrew Malkinson made a third application to the CCRC.
October 2021 – A check against a police database showed that the DNA profile on samples from Andrew Malkinson’s case matched the DNA profile of a man referred to as Mr B.
January 2023 – The CCRC referred Andrew Malkinson’s case to the Court of Appeal on the basis that there was a real possibility that new evidence would render his conviction unsafe.
July 2023 – Andrew Malkinson’s conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal.
August 2023 – The Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances and handling of Andrew Malkinson’s case.
October 2023 – The Lord Chancellor set the Terms of Reference for the Andrew Malkinson Inquiry. HHJ Sarah Munro KC was appointed its Chair.