Can an Old Conviction Still Be Overturned? Court Clears Two Men After 50 Years

On 22 September 2026, the Court of Appeal quashed the theft convictions of Christopher Poulter and the late Kevin Biggs, 50 years after they were convicted.

Both men were convicted in 1976 of stealing 13 mailbags from a stationary goods wagon at Clapham Goods Yard. The prosecution case depended substantially on evidence from Detective Sergeant Derek Ridgewell of the British Transport Police.

Ridgewell was later exposed as a corrupt officer. He was imprisoned in 1980 for stealing goods in transit and has since been linked to a series of miscarriages of justice. Mr Poulter and Mr Biggs are the 14th and 15th people to have convictions connected with his conduct overturned.

Why were the convictions reconsidered?

The Criminal Cases Review Commission referred the cases to the Court of Appeal after examining new information about Ridgewell’s criminality and credibility.

The CCRC identified three important features: Ridgewell’s own conviction; the central role his credibility played in the prosecution; and the fact that other convictions involving him had already been quashed. Stephen Simmons, who was convicted alongside Mr Poulter and Mr Biggs on the same facts and evidence, had his conviction overturned in 2018.

The Court of Appeal allowed both appeals. Mr Biggs, who died in 2004, was cleared posthumously.

Can a conviction be challenged decades later?

Yes. The passage of time does not necessarily prevent a conviction from being reviewed. A case may be capable of reopening where there is significant new evidence, a later change in the law, fresh expert opinion, a serious disclosure failure, or information undermining the reliability or integrity of an important witness.

Ordinary appeal time limits are short, so an application made many years later requires careful explanation and a proper evidential basis. Once normal appeal routes have been exhausted, the CCRC can investigate an alleged miscarriage of justice and refer a case back to an appeal court where the statutory test is met.

What should someone with concerns about an old conviction do?

The starting point is a careful review of the original papers, trial evidence, appeal history and the proposed new material. An experienced criminal appeal solicitor can assess whether the issue is genuinely new and whether it could render the conviction unsafe.

Peter Bonner & Co advises on criminal appeals, second opinions and potential CCRC applications. Contact us confidentially on 020 8297 1727 or through our contact page.

Source: Criminal Cases Review Commission, “Poulter, Christopher”, published 5 March 2026.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts and procedural history.