In His Own Words
This book is a brutally honest account of my exhaustive eight-year campaign to seek justice for Stephen Downing.
Stephen was jailed in September 1973 for the murder of Mrs Wendy Sewell. Despite his plea of innocence, Downing was found guilty and ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure.
When his parents approached me in September 1994 - some 21 years after his detention - their story seemed incredible. The claims encouraged me to fully re-investigate the matter and during a period of four months, and prior to writing the first story as editor of their local newspaper, the Matlock Mercury, I had suffered several intimidation, several death threats, two firebomb attacks, a brick through the office window and survived two determined hit and run attempts.
My submissions to the authorities challenged the establishment and contradicted much of the original prosecution claims.
It also brought me into direct conflict with Derbyshire Police, the Home Office and prominent businessmen in a small rural community, who each seemed to want to suppress a further inquiry for different reasons.
My story attracted the attention of top Parliamentarians, fellow campaigners and even the Government intelligence services. It became a political hot-potato and caused controversy in the High Court and European Court of Human Rights.
Eventually, my investigations received much acclaim and won acclaim via the European Court, forcing the British Government to concede and offer Stephen Downing a 'friendly payment' plus costs. It finally settled an historic legal landmark ruling that allowed Downing and any other prisoners in denial, the basic human right to have an oral hearing with the Parole Board.
Further success followed rapidly with his case finally referred to the Court of Appeal and secured his release on bail after more than 27 years of confinement.
At Downing's appeal, the manuscript for this book Town Without Pity was used by defence barristers and scrutinised by the Crown Prosecutor and Law Lords.
In January 2002, Downing's conviction was eventually quashed and he left court a free man. The book has continued to question the reasons for Downing's detention and highlighted many other important factors within this case that the police could and should have investigated nearly three decades ago.
The book takes readers through my own unorthodox style of detection to reveal the evidence the authorities wanted to hide and clearly suggests that others were responsible for this murder.
I hope my enthusiasm for truth and justice comes across in this very frank account of my determined campaign. It has since forced the police to re-open the case and has raised so many anomalies within the British Justice system - which is currently under review following this unprecedented success.
Happy reading - Don Hale