Down but not out!

[He'sINNOCENT]

Hi,

It's been a week since I saw my husband being taken down. I am trying to just keep going but after 7 days of no contact (the longest we've ever been apart) it is getting harder.

How do you get through this loneliness?

I am more worried about my husband, he was depressed for the 5 weeks he was awaiting sentence and then when it happened, listening to the dreadful things said by the judge I watched him physically crumble; this was the most painful experience of my life.

He is a kind gentle loving guy and the case was a farce. There where more holes in the case than a pair of fishnet stockings and still they found him gulity! The previous inconsistant statements never surfaced from the Barristers file and the x examination, from what I was told (I had to sit outside to give evidence) was almost zero. The lies told were all clearly documented in official doc's but not used and are now useless as they aren't relevant to an Appeal.

So how do you get a Miscarriage of Justice heard and why has this happened in a country that supposed to have one of the best justice system in the World.

I thought we were alone, then I saw this forum - I wouldn't wish this on anyone else and it's time this country got a grip on liers and compensation grabbers!

Maybe when I can cry I'll feel better, just now I am full of anger and hatred.

Any suggestions?

[Verity]

Hi He'sINNOCENT,

I'm so sad to hear that yet another has been let down by shoddy defence work and dirty tricks.

There will be others along soon who have experience in what has happened to you and your hubby, it so nearly happened to mine but I didn't let anyone in the defence team let anything slip. Even so it was a B**** close call and involved one hell of a fight to make sure the truth came out. Both hubby and I suffered collapses at the virdict of not guilty so what you went through is unimaginable.

It is mind numbing to read of others experiences and it fills me with an incandescent rage knowing just how common false allegations are and I truly believe it is beyond the realms of belief that the powers that be are not aware of it's prevelance and just how many thousands of innocent people are languishing in our prisons in our name just for the sake of a Government statistic.

We will support and walk this with you - you are not alone.

Thinking of you,
Verity

[LS]

Sorry to hear of this.

I think most of us end up feeling the way you do. We're brought up with the misguided belief that this country is fair and honest, and if you tell the truth you have nothing to worry about, particularly when it comes to being in court. It's a really, really, big GUNK when you find that the truth is the opposite, not just for the one accused but for their families too.

The anger and hatred is a common theme, and bitterness will be along shortly too.

The reason this happens in a so-called civilised country is because those in charge are led by spin. Spin and figures mean far more than the truth, so it's far easier to pretend things like this don't happen.
The ONLY good thing is that this is becoming so prevalent that each time it happens, the number of people aware of what the truth is grows more and more. Sooner or later (maybe not in my lifetime) the number of people shafted by this country will outweigh those who haven't. And then there'll be a groundswell of demand for change.

Until that point, unfortunately all we can do is commiserate and comfort each other, sadly.

[He'sINNOCENT]

Hi Verity,

Thanks for your kind words. I am glad someone got the right result. We thought we had done everthing but at the last minute the Barrister was changed and that was that. Didn't follow instructions and didn't even seem to care.

He'sINNOCENT

[Rights Fighter]

The previous inconsistant statements never surfaced from the Barristers file and the x examination, from what I was told (I had to sit outside to give evidence) was almost zero. The lies told were all clearly documented in official doc's but not used and are now useless as they aren't relevant to an Appeal.

Who told you that this is useless and not relevant to an appeal? The trial barrister or solicitor?

"Previous Inconsistent Statements" have been grounds for appeal before, and might relate to your hubby's case, depending on the particular circumstances.

[He'sINNOCENT]

Rightsfighter,

When you eventually get the case file you will see the huge paper trail and that the only consistant statement throughout was his! We were told by the original Barrister how he'd use them, the replacement barely opened the file and never used one single piece of evidence in his possesion.

So many dirty tricks; I was told I'd be asked so many questions on the stand and I wasn't asked one of them!

He'sINNOCENT

[Phoenix]

You gotta try everything you can.

If there are inconsistencies in her statement they MUST be relevant.

You keep on fighting!

[He'sINNOCENT]

Hi Phoenix,

I will, we've come this far and survived, but I never thought it'd get to this point. I have always been so black and white, it always seemed inconceivable that justice wouldn't be done - what a hard hard lesson to learn.

He'sINNOCENT

[Bigsister]

I recently read Sally Clarkes book Stolen innocence, & that lady & her hubby were solicitors, yet they still thought if you told the truth justice would prevail. It didn't for her. Trouble is, when you're bought up to believe that, it's imprinted.
The falsely accused are on a seperate island to the rest of the world, an island where most people refuse to even think exists. It's like an illness there is no cure for at the moment.

[Rights Fighter]

Rightsfighter,

When you eventually get the case file you will see the huge paper trail and that the only consistant statement throughout was his! We were told by the original Barrister how he'd use them, the replacement barely opened the file and never used one single piece of evidence in his possesion.

So many dirty tricks; I was told I'd be asked so many questions on the stand and I wasn't asked one of them!

He'sINNOCENT

Not sure why you believe I will be in receipt of the case file.......

[He'sINNOCENT]

Hi Rights Fighter,

We saw you last week, if you are Chris? Think it should be with you soon. At mo I am so confused by everything so if I am wrong I apologise.

He'sINNOCENT

[Rights Fighter]

I'm not Chris although I work for a solicitor called Chris Saltrese who specialises in these cases.

I've not met you as far as I know!

[Saffron]

Hello He'sINNOCENT

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry you had to find us but glad that you did.

When my R was in prison, I broke down for a few days. The rage and frustration were unbearable, but eventually I had to pull myself together for the sake of our son. R couldn't call me for nearly a week until he was approved to make a phonecall. Those days were the worst - I imagined the most terrible things.

I coped by doing everything I could to make his stay in Her Maj's hotel as bearable as possible. This was my way of coping I think...making his life just a tiny bit more comfortable gave me comfort as well.

First of all, you should be able to make a "settlement visit". You will have to do this quickly, usually within the first 14 days of his admission to prison. You do not need a Visiting Order for one of these visits. You can take along clothes, toiletries (brand new and unopened toiletries only) and money to be paid into his prison account. This has to be cash or a postal order. Every prison has slightly different rules on what you can and can't take to a prisoner during a settlement visit, so ring them and find out what is allowed.

You can also order newspapers for him. Most prisons are supplied by a local newsagent, so again contact the prison and ask which one they use. You can then contact the newsagent and pay in advance for him to have a newspaper delivered every day or every Sunday, whichever you prefer. I ordered the Telegraph for my hubby and he told me the other inmates teased him terribly for it (in a jokey way though! They called him "Brains". After that some of them asked him for help writing letters home).

If you can afford it, phone your telephone line provider and ask them to set up a Call Divert on your line. Then whenever you go out you can dial a code into your phone and calls will automatically be diverted to your mobile. The caller pays the cost of the call to your landline, and the cost of the transfer to your mobile is billed to you. My hubby found this very useful as it meant he could always get hold of me without spending all his phone credit on calling my mobile.

I sent my husband lots of pictures of our house - every room and the garden from various angles - so that he could hold those images in his hand. I posted him books of stamps so that he didn't have to use his precious allowance to buy them. Again this varies from prison to prison, some will allow it and some won't, so do check.

I wrote a diary every day of what I had been doing, what was happening, what our son had done at nursery, how many mice and birds the cats had caught...every little detail of day to day life...right down to shampooing the living room carpet and a disastrous cake-making episode! I wrote on loose paper, not in a book, and posted them to him 3 days at a time. This meant he had a constant stream of letters, and it helped me feel closer to him in the evenings, when our litte boy was asleep and the loneliness was hardest to cope with.

If your hubby can get a job it will be a huge help to him in terms of keeping him busy and giving him a bit of extra cash. If he is maintaining his innocence this might be difficult. The more I hear about other people's experiences the more bemused I am about my hubby's time in jail. He very quickly got a job, first making breakfast packages, then as a cleaner and then as the screws' tea boy....got teased about that one too! No-one told him to undergo any SOTP courses and he was approved for Home Leave after 3 months.

I also recommend that you look at the Sticky - "What to expect in prison, some ins and outs". It has useful information that you might find reassuring, and also some guidance on visiting procedures and what you can/can't take.

I hope you are doing OK. Stick with us, we will do our best to help you.

Saffron

[Rights Fighter]

I'm not Chris although I work for a solicitor called Chris Saltrese who specialises in these cases.

I've not met you as far as I know!

Sorry, I forgot to add "please do not apologise". You must be in a right old state at the moment and it is so easy to get confused.

Which sol have you spoken to? Hopefully they are experienced in these matters.

[He'sINNOCENT]

HI Saffreon,

Thank you for all that information! I have been at my wits end this week because I have had no contact. I wrote a 6 page letter and posted this on Saturday and then I have emailed every night since Tuesday (once I found about emailaprisoner).

How long did R get? My husbands in for 11 months (this monday) and it seems like a lifetime away!

Was it hard reajusting when he came home? I've got so many q's (sorry). Been fine all week, but today I've been weepy, thought I'd cope but... Trying to stay strong for him but I too have all sorts of horrors about how he is because I haven't heard from him.

Visiting on Sunday, fingers crossed he's coping - only one thing worse than doing time and that has to be doing time as an innocent man!

Thanks again for you reassurances.

He'sINNOCENT