Aaron Maddison v R
[2024] EWCA Crim 816
R v Darren Dawson
9 November 2023
[2023] EWCA Crim 1408
Court of Appeal
A man was found guilty of robbery. The police forgot to tell his lawyers about a time the victim couldn't identify him from a lineup. The court still said he was guilty because there was a lot of other evidence against him, like security camera footage showing him near the crime with other suspects and matching clothes at his home.
Key Facts
- •Darren Dawson was convicted of robbery after a trial.
- •The robbery involved a violent attack on Ian Clementson, resulting in significant injuries and the theft of £40.
- •CCTV footage from a convenience store and a residential address placed Dawson at the scene of the crime.
- •A negative identification procedure was not disclosed to the defense until after the jury had reached a verdict.
- •Dawson's defense was mistaken identity, supported by the initial identification of another man by a police officer and the absence of an identification procedure.
Legal Principles
Outcomes
Appeal against conviction dismissed.
Despite the prosecution's failure to disclose a negative identification procedure, the court found the evidence against Dawson to be overwhelming. The CCTV evidence, particularly from Sheffield Street near Dawson's residence, showing him with co-defendants shortly before and after the robbery, coupled with the recovery of distinctive clothing and a matching tattoo, was deemed sufficient to secure a safe conviction.