Peter Sullivan, a 68-year-old man who has spent nearly four decades behind bars, is to be released after the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction for the 1987 murder of Diane Sindall in Merseyside.
Sullivan, an unemployed labourer from Birkenhead, was 30 years old when he was convicted of the brutal murder of Sindall, a 21-year-old florist and bride-to-be from the Wirral. She had been walking to a petrol station after her car ran out of fuel when she was attacked in an alleyway. Sindall was sexually assaulted and beaten to death. Some of her belongings were later found burned in woodland on Bidston Hill, five miles from the crime scene.
Despite consistently protesting his innocence, Sullivan was convicted after a police investigation during which he was questioned without legal representation. He had initially confessed, but later retracted the statement. He was described at the time as a “quiet loner” who had been drinking heavily and playing darts at a local pub on the night of the murder.
Struggle For Justice
Sullivan’s case was first submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in 2008 but was rejected. He reapplied in 2021, this time with the backing of new forensic evidence. Advances in DNA technology uncovered a sample from an unknown male at the crime scene. The DNA was believed to be from semen collected and preserved during the original investigation. Crucially, the profile did not match Sullivan or any individuals listed in the UK’s national DNA database.
Following the discovery, Merseyside Police reopened the case. However, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it would not pursue a retrial.
Sullivan, currently held at HMP Wakefield, appeared at the appeal hearing via videolink. Mr Justice Holroyde, delivering the judgment, formally quashed the conviction, paving the way for Sullivan’s release.
After nearly 40 years in prison for a crime he always denied committing, Sullivan will now walk free.