Peter Sullivan, a 68-year-old British man, has been exonerated after serving nearly 38 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, marking the longest-known miscarriage of justice in UK history. His conviction for the 1986 murder of 21-year-old Diane Sindall in Birkenhead was quashed by the Court of Appeal on May 13, 2025, following the emergence of new DNA evidence.
Sullivan was convicted in 1987, primarily based on a confession obtained without legal counsel and forensic evidence, including bite mark analysis, which is now considered unreliable. He consistently maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration. In 2021, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) reopened his case, leading to advanced DNA testing of preserved semen samples from the crime scene. The results excluded Sullivan as the source and instead identified an unknown male profile .
Upon his release, Sullivan expressed no anger or bitterness, stating, “I’m not angry, I’m not bitter,” and emphasized the importance of justice for Diane Sindall’s family . Merseyside Police have reopened the investigation to identify the true perpetrator, having already ruled out over 260 individuals
The case has sparked calls for systemic reform, particularly concerning the appeals process and the role of the CCRC. Critics argue that the commission’s initial refusal to review Sullivan’s case in 2008, despite advancements in DNA technology, highlights significant flaws in the justice system .
Sullivan’s exoneration underscores the critical need for timely application of forensic technologies and thorough review processes to prevent such profound miscarriages of justice.
