A former victims commissioner has been appointed as a chief of a legal body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice to “win back” the trust it has lost from the public.
Dame Vera Baird KC will become the interim chairwoman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which has been heavily criticised for its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case, one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
The barrister will take up the post from June 9 until December 8 next year, and is tasked with carrying out an urgent review into the running of the independent body and making sure lessons have been learnt from previous cases.
The independent body is currently tasked with reviewing the convictions of serial child killer Lucy Letby.
Announcing the move on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs: “In recent years the commission has lost the trust of the public.
“It must now win it back.
“So today I have appointed Dame Vera Baird, a former victims commissioner, to be its interim chair.
“She will review the commission, its governance and leadership and ensure it delivers once more for those who have been victims of injustice.”
Her appointment comes after former chairwoman Helen Pitcher resigned in January following Mr Malkinson’s case but claimed she had been scapegoated.
Mr Malkinson served 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, and was knocked back twice by the CCRC until his legal team carried out crucial DNA testing that was then repeated by the commission and led to his release.
A review found that he could have been released 10 years earlier if the CCRC had obtained new DNA evidence as early as 2009, and thousands of cases are being reviewed in the wake of the bungled handling of the case.
Last month, the Commons Justice Committee also warned that the position of the current chief executive of the CCRC, Karen Kneller, is no longer tenable.
MPs said in a report it follows “unpersuasive” evidence from her on the CCRC’s challenges and response to public criticisms in April, and concerns on the performance of the review body.
On her new role, Dame Vera said: “It is vital the public can have confidence in an organisation whose constitutional importance is so central to a fair and just system.
“I look forward to working alongside the many hardworking and dedicated members of staff to restore that confidence, ensuring recommendations stemming from multiple reviews over the last decade are being effectively implemented, as well as identifying further areas for improvement.”
A CCRC spokesperson said: “Dame Vera brings decades of experience in the criminal justice system and a strong commitment to ensuring justice for all.
“Everyone at the CCRC looks forward to working with her to continue our mission to find, investigate and send potential miscarriages of justice back to the courts.”
