Bristol University’s ‘Post Conviction Activist’ Michael Naughton: Facilitating and ’Empowering’ Psychopathic Killers (Part 14)

It became clear in March 2021 that Michael Naughton’s statement to Lawrence Cawley in August 2013 (following the exposure of Simon Hall’s factual guilt) was a meaningless, throwaway comment;

It is quite sad in terms of the waste of resources and the distress to (Mrs Albert’s) family members when it turns out like this

Statement by Michael Naughton from Lawrence Cawley’s BBC article headed Joan Albert murder: Simon Hall supporters respond to confession 8th August 2013

And it also became clear Michael Naughton was/is without doubt;

someone who confidently asserts themselves towards a false truth in the presence of others. Even when the rest of the people there know that they are completely wrong

Urban dictionary meaning of a Numpty

And unfortunately people who are unfamiliar with the innocence fraud phenomenon are continuing to be duped and exploited by Michael Naughton and people like him.

Outdated Claims Of ‘Innocence’

In January 2011 a short article headed Bristol Uni’s Innocence smoothies was published by an anonymous author. It read;

More than four years ago the University of Bristol (UoB) Innocence Project decided to fight the conviction of a man accused of a brutal murder. Through months of investigation and the healthy scepticism of former Bristol student Gabe Tan, the case of Simon Hall was brought to appeal at the High Court.

Hall was charged with the murder of a 79-year-old woman, Joan Albert, in 2001, but has maintained his innocence throughout the eight years he has spent in prison. But only through the efforts of research assistant Tan and founder of the UK arm of the Innocence Project Dr Michael Naughton was key evidence against Hall called into question.

“I’m quite a sceptical person,” says Tan. “I don’t just take things on face value. And what got me interested in this project was that I want to know the truth, especially when someone has been accused of a serious crime. I’ve learnt so much from working on this case. It’s opened my eyes to how forensic science can go wrong and given me a lot of skills.”

Bristol Uni’s Innocence smoothies Anonymous. The Lawyer; London (Jan 31, 2011): 64.

Gabe Tan was described by Michael Naughton in 2013 as being “upset” and “in tears” following the exposure of Simon Hall’s guilt to his murder of Joan Albert.

Gabe Tan can be seen towards the end of a video here with Michael Naughton. The video is called ‘Claims of Innocence’ which was the title of a book Michael and Gabe wrote and published and can be downloaded for free here. The first statement in the download is by a man called Paul Blackburn who stated;

The withholding or lack of information was one of the most important factors in both my conviction and overlong incarceration. In 1978 when I was convicted, there were no information packs handed out in prison. I was ignorant of the case against me and of the legal process used to help convict me. I learned the rules and regulations of prison as they were used to batter me into submission. Information was one of the most important factors in my eventual release

Paul Blackburn

The Alleged “40 Year Old Virgin”

It is not known who exactly Paul Blackburn was referring to when he stated “they were used to batter me into submission” but it was not the police who arrested and questioned him for his crimes.

Paul Blackburn was convicted of attempted murder and rape of a 9 year old boy referred to as ‘L’ and was represented by Glyn Maddocks (Referred to in Part 19k here) and was also mentioned by Stephanie Bon in her March 2010 statement (Read more in Part 18d here).

Paul was released from custody in March 2003 on a life licence having served 24 years for his crimes. At some point Stephanie Bon met up with Paul Blackburn and stated of him in 2010 “Paul B, I love you forever”.

In June 2009 Peter Walker spoke to Paul Blackburn and published an article in the Guardian (Read more here) in which Paul alleged he was “a 40-year-old virgin”.

The attack on the 9 year old boy ‘L’, by a then 14 year old Paul Blackburn was described by the court of appeal judges as follows;

The attack took place on the afternoon of Sunday 25th June 1978, probably at around 4.30 pm. The victim, L, was walking by a canal near an area known as Seven Arches, Great Sankey, Warrington, when he was accosted by a youth who threatened him with a knife. L was made to go with the youth to a nearby disused sewage works, where he was forced into a brick shelter. There he was made to remove his clothes and to perform oral sex on the youth, who then attempted to commit anal rape on him, ejaculating down the victim’s leg. The victim was then kicked repeatedly and stabbed before being covered with a board and a large quantity of heavy bricks.

When the victim failed to return home the police were informed and a search commenced. The following day, some 28 hours after the attack, he was found still concealed in the disused sewage works. He was alive but badly injured. It was patently a horrific attack.

Paragraphs 6 and 7 from [2005] EWCA Crim 1349

All The Hallmarks Of The Innocence Fraud Phenomenon NOT Miscarriage Of Justice Phenomenon

Michael Naughton referred to Paul Blackburn in a 2007 press release headed Victims of miscarriages of justice mark 10th anniversary of Criminal Cases Review Commission. An excerpt read;

Dr Michael Naughton, Founder and Co-ordinator of the Innocence Network UK and Bristol University lecturer, who is hosting the event, said: “Contrary to popular perceptions, the Criminal Cases Review Commission was not designed to rectify the errors of the system and ensure that the innocent overturn their wrongful convictions.

Excerpt from press release by Michael Naughton headed Victims of miscarriages of justice mark 10th anniversary of Criminal Cases Review Commission dated 30th March 2007

There is no evidence that Paul Blackburn was, or is, factually innocent of the crimes for which he was originally convicted and Paul’s pubic relations campaign has all the hallmarks of the innocence fraud phenomenon.

Euan McIlvride (Who set up the now dissolved company Ghost Rock LLP in May 2015) described here as a volunteer and “head of legal” for the Miscarriage of Justice organisation based in Glasgow, Scotland stated in January 2020;

Today on The Guardian online we find a disturbing, but depressingly familiar, tale of the treatment of our friend and client Paul Blackburn, who spent 25 years in prison for offences he didn’t commit. 

By Evan Smith from Paul Blackburn – Still no apology 13th January 2020

Again there is no evidence Paul Blackburn didn’t commit the crimes for which he was convicted of when he was 14/15 years of age.

Michael Naughton stated in his (and Gabe Tan’s) book Claims of innocence;

Paul Blackburn was only 14 years old when he was coerced by the police into signing a false confession

Excerpt from page 17 of Claims of Innocence by Michael Naughton with Gabe Tan

But a deep dive into the convictions of Paul Blackburn shows the coerced confession was, and is, a matter of opinion (The court of appeal judgement can be read in full here).

On the 8th of January 2020 Cheshire constabulary made a statement regarding Paul Blackburn’s court case. Excerpts read;

The Constabulary respects this ruling and instruction of the Court, it should also be noted that the ruling stated that the task of the court was not to say whether or not Mr Blackburn committed these offences, but whether the convictions against him were unsafe.

Following the ruling the Constabulary undertook a comprehensive review of all the available evidence in the case and spoke to the victim concerned and we are satisfied that we do not need to reopen the investigation.

An independent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in this case was also undertaken in 1996 which concluded that there was no evidence of any misconduct nor was there any evidence to pursue criminal proceedings against the officers concerned.

This case was investigated more than 40-years-ago at a time when the procedures and rules around the questioning of suspects and the submission of evidence were very different to that of today. The 1986 Police & Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act introduced fundamentally changed the way we treat and interview suspects.

Cheshire constabulary on the Paul Blackburn court case 8th January 2020

It’s Not What You Know..

Paul Blackburn received compensation even though he never proved his actual, factual innocence. In May 2005 MP Barry Sheerman called for an inquiry and demanded ‘large compensation’;

Barry Sheerman said: “It is an obscene miscarriage of justice that Paul Blackburn spent 26 years in prison because of lies told by police.”

Mr Sheerman has tabled a Commons motion welcoming the Appeal Court’s overturning of Mr Blackburn’s conviction.

Mr Blackburn, of Warrington, Cheshire, was wrongly convicted at the age of 15 of the attempted murder of a nine year old boy.

The Commons motion also congratulates solicitor Glynn Maddocks, who has spent 12 years fighting for Mr Blackburn. It also demands large compensation.

Excerpts from Yorkshire live article headed Call for jailing inquiry 27th May 2005

Glyn Maddocks had apparently previously worked as Barry Sheerman’s research assistant.

In 2017 Barry Sheerman hosted a meeting in parliament, attended by some of the cult-like wrongful conviction movement people like Dennis Eady, Emily Bolton, Marika Henneberg, Louise Shorter and included Teresa Halbach’s killers lawyer Dean Strang (Read more here).

Link to Part 19n here