Andrew Malkinson was finally released yesterday, thanks to new DNA evidence that linked the actual perpetrator to the rape charge after spending 17 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit.

Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Malkinson gave an emotional statement expressing both relief and bitterness, accusing the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) of ignoring his pleas and forcing him to live in a “false fantasy” while they persisted in believing his guilt.

His harrowing journey through the justice system came to an end when the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction.

No DNA evidence ever linked him to the crime, and the case against him relied solely on disputed eyewitness identification.

Malkinson asserted, “Today we told this court I was innocent, and finally they listened – but I have been innocent all along.”

Throughout his time in prison, he maintained his innocence and refused to make a false confession, which he believes led to an additional ten years behind bars.

He expressed his frustration, saying, “They claimed I was in denial and made me serve an extra 10 years in prison because I would not make a false confession… I am not in denial, I am not a liar – but I will tell you who is: Greater Manchester Police are liars! And they are in denial.”

The case was reopened when new DNA evidence emerged, leading to the arrest of another suspect. The Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service did not contest the appeal, resulting in Malkinson’s exoneration by three senior judges.

Despite his relief at being released, Malkinson spoke about the toll it took on his life, leaving him jobless, homeless, and struggling to reintegrate into society.

He emphasized, “I spent 17 years on my guard against every threat; 17 years counting down the minutes to lock up so I could be behind my door and safe from other prisoners, safe from my own mind, imagining I would die there.”

The Assistant Chief Constable of GMP, Sarah Jackson, issued an apology to Malkinson, acknowledging the “grave miscarriage of justice” he endured.

However, the years of lost freedom and the trauma he experienced remain irreparable.

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