LONDON: (HRNW) – Peter Sullivan, a man who spent 38 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit, has claimed that police beat him and forced a false confession during his interrogation. This marks his first public interview since his release.
Sullivan, 68, told the BBC that he was “stitched up” in connection with the 1986 murder of Diane Sindall in Birkenhead. His conviction was overturned in May after DNA testing confirmed his innocence.
Sullivan, who has learning difficulties, said he endured 22 police interviews in 1986, during which officers allegedly subjected him to physical abuse and intimidation to coerce a confession. He described being covered with a blanket and beaten with truncheons, threatened with charges for “35 other rapes,” and denied food and sleep.
“They were putting stuff into my mind. It was the bullying that forced me to throw my hands in,” Sullivan told the BBC. Records show he was denied legal counsel for his first seven interviews.
Conviction Overturned
The Criminal Cases Review Commission quashed Sullivan’s conviction in 2023 after new DNA evidence from semen samples excluded him as the source. The original case relied on bite-mark evidence, which is now widely discredited, along with a confession that Sullivan later retracted.
Merseyside Police expressed regret over the miscarriage of justice but maintained that officers acted within the law. The force said it was previously unaware of the allegations and has since strengthened protocols regarding the involvement of appropriate adults. They referred the matter to the police watchdog, which found no misconduct.
Life After Prison
Since his release, Sullivan has struggled to adjust to a world drastically changed since 1987. “I was watching the cars go by—I’ve never seen so many different cars,” he remarked. At times, he still finds himself waiting for prison roll call in his bedroom.
Sullivan has called for an official apology from Merseyside Police, stating, “I can’t forgive them. It’s going to be there for the rest of my life.” His lawyer, Sarah Myatt, who fought for his release over 20 years, described Sullivan’s written note on police maps—“this is all lies”—as poignant.
Next Steps
The Crown Prosecution Service said it acted on the evidence available at the time. The murder case has been reopened, but no arrests have yet been made.
Sullivan is awaiting compensation, which is capped at £1.3 million. Myatt told the BBC, “There’s not a figure that you could say would be enough for losing 38 years of your life.”
