A man jailed for murder nearly 40 years ago could have his conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal today, ending what’s thought to be the longest-running miscarriage of justice in British history.
Peter Sullivan was convicted of murdering Diane Sindall in Birkenhead in August 1986. The 21-year-old florist had been beaten and raped and left in an alleyway.
Mr Sullivan has always maintained his innocence and new tests ordered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission have revealed his DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.
Merseyside Police have confirmed detectives are now “carrying out an extensive investigation in a bid to identify who the new DNA profile belongs to, as to date there is no match on the national DNA database”.
Detectives are also contacting individuals identified in the original investigation to request voluntary DNA samples.
That original investigation was the largest in the force’s history and, for many officers, the “frenzied” nature of the attack made it the worst case they had ever encountered.
Diane, who was engaged to be married, had just left her shift as a part-time barmaid at a pub in Bebington when her small blue van ran out of petrol.
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She was walking to an all-night garage when she was attacked.
Mr Sullivan, who was 29 at the time and described as a loner, initially denied the attack but later signed a confession.
Questions have since been raised about whether he had proper legal representation during police interviews.
Evidence related to bite marks on Diane’s body, considered crucial at the trial, has also since been called into question.
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At the time of Mr Sullivan’s trial in 1987, DNA technology was not available and subsequent requests for new tests had been refused.
In its statement, Merseyside Police said: “In November 2024, the Criminal Cases Review Commission announced that Peter Sullivan’s murder conviction was being referred to the Court of Appeal due to the discovery of new DNA evidence, which was not available at the time of the trial.
“There have been significant developments in the use and understanding of DNA evidence in criminal investigations, that was still in its infancy at the time of the murder of Diane Sindall.
“These developments have led to the discovery of the new evidence.”
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The murder sent a chill through the community.
On the grass verge close to where Diane’s body was found, a memorial stone has been placed in memory of her and “and all of our sisters who have been raped and murdered”.
Diane Sindall’s family told Sky News they did not want to comment on the case.
