Fresh doubts cast over infamous wife murder

Feb 26 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

CAMPAIGNERS appealing for the freedom of a man convicted of one of Merseyside’s most notorious murders are launching a third appeal against his conviction.

Their efforts come as one of the country’s top criminal profilers spoke of how his expert evidence reassessing a suicide note found at the scene was not taken into account by judges at his previous appeal.

Eddie Gilfoyle was jailed in July, 1993, for the murder of his eight-months pregnant wife, Paula, in a case which shocked the region. She was found hanged in their home in Upton, Wirral, with a lengthy apparent suicide note.

Although his family have always protested his innocence, Mrs Gilfoyle’s family believed justice had been done.

Last night, Mrs Gilfoyle’s sister, Susan Dubost, of Moreton, said the suicide note evidence was never used in Gilfoyle’s trial and was therefore irrelevant.

She said: “Every time the family tries to move on, it is blown back in our faces and I can’t tell you how painful it is. The thing is, this evidence was never put before a jury so how could it affect justice?”

Gilfoyle was handed a life sentence, with instructions to serve a minimum of 17 years. He has served 15 and lost two separate appeals in 1995 and 2000.

In 2001, he changed his name by deed poll to Innocent.

Criminal profiler Professor David Canter, from the University of Liverpool, provided expert evidence to the original trial that the apparent suicide note did not suggest Paula Gilfoyle intended to take her own life, thus forming part of the prosecution case against her husband.

Prof Canter has now revealed that he put forward later evidence to Mr Gilfoyle’s second appeal that in his opinion it was “very likely Mrs Gilfoyle had taken her own life” but judges rejected it.

Now the professor, as well as Mr Gilfoyle’s family, believe that advancements in several areas of analysis mean prosecutors are looking at a whole different case to 1992 when the incident happened.

Mr Gilfoyle, 47, is at HMP Buckley Hill, in Rochdale. His case is with the Criminal Cases Review Commission and his family hope a third appeal will be granted.

Mr Gilfoyle’s sister, Susan Caddick, said: “Eddie is very pleased and hopeful – when you are innocent, the only thing you have to hold on to is the hope that the truth will come out, and bit by bit the truth is coming out.

“Anybody who looks at this case can see it was a tragic suicide and, unfortunately, Eddie is the victim and has been for the last 15 years.

“We have the support of hundreds and hundreds of people, including some very high profile people, who are just not comfortable with this case. Eddie’s quite convinced that the truth will come out. Although we feel terribly sorry for Paula and Paula’s family, that doesn’t give anybody the right to punish an innocent person, and there is no question he is. We are going to keep on fighting because I know he is an innocent man. ”

The family have had the support of other campaigners including Paddy Hill, one of the Birmingham Six, and the Miscarriages of Just-ice Campaign which he founded.

Last night, Prof Canter, who is not involved with the renewed appeal, said: “I haven’t actually said I changed my mind, I said new evidence had come to light to put a different perspective on some things, because there has been new analysis over the years that wasn’t available initially.”

“In Eddie Gilfoyle’s second appeal, my opinion was put forward, but the appeal judges chose not to receive my work. “

Anguish of victim's family > > > >