Quotes

.my overall feeling about Paula Gilfoyle is that though there are curious aspects, this undoubted hanging shows no pathological evidence of anything other than self suspension.

Professor Bernard Knight. Professor of Forensic Pathology. Home Office Pathologist.

Report for the defence 24^th May 1993.

Overwhelmingly a suicide. The only possibility is that this lady voluntarily let herself be hanged, which seems extraordinary to me.

.medically speaking theres nothing about this case which prevents this from being a suicide by hanging.

Professor Bernard Knight. Professor of Forensic Pathology. Home Office Pathologist.

Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

.Now, women get depressed during pregnancy for various reasons, I suppose one of the main reasons is that the pregnancy is unwanted and sometimes in the conflict over an unwanted pregnancy there will be a lot of depression early in the pregnancy, but towards the end of the pregnancy, also one can develop quite severe depression..

They (some women) can also get very anxious during pregnancy and especially during the third trimester, they get anxious because of the impending delivery, some women even nowadays are terrified of the delivery, which is still a very severe ordeal.

- Professor Brockington. Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

.Unfortunately were in a society that doesnt allow pregnant women to express their true feelings and I think when listened to every pregnant woman harbours fears..how am I going to cope. What am I going to do with this baby, will I return to work? Shall I have two babies together so that then I can get it all over and done with and return to work? Not every woman wants to give up work, but as a society we expect them to do that..

Ann Herrbboudt. Midwife Counsellor. St Johns and St Elizabeth Hospital.

Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

Well it (ESDA Letter) could have been written in early June.

Dr Audrey Giles. Forensic Document Examination. Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

..I feel embarrassed that the system worked badly in this case. I think its worked even worse in this case than the other cases that youve talked about, at every stage its been defective..

Campbell Malone. Eddies Previous Solicitor for both Appeals. Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

..theyre hanging on by the skin of their teeth at the moment, just about. I mean there are things missing, theres not enough money.

..I would think that somebody like her (Paula) who is obviously very careful about her finances would know that she was going to be in big trouble in the next few months, that they simply werent going to be able to afford, probably even to pay the mortgage..

Jackie King. Debt Counsellor. Speaking to Trial and Error in 1996.

BWGJ/1 (the Suicide Letter) bears all the hallmarks of a genuine suicide note. A mood of self-blame prevails, and there is an undercurrent of helplessness and hopelessness.

..Paula was phobic about labour.

Dr J G Weir. Consultant Psychiatrist St Marys Hospital London. Expertise on suicide in pregnancy.

Report for defence 7^th June 1997.

.In my opinion, in a suicide scenario, it is highly improbable that the deceased jumped rather than lowered herself from the step-ladder..

Rodger Hope Ide. Consultant Forensic Scientist. Expert in ropes and cordage.

Report for CCRC dated 12^th June 1998.

.there is nothing from a pathological viewpoint for me to draw any conclusion other than the features of the case are entirely consistent with suicidal hanging."

Professor J Crane State Pathologist and Professor of Forensic Medicine.

The Queens University of Belfast & Northern Ireland. Report for the CCRC 15^th October 1998.

Taking the full correspondence into account, together with reports from witnesses, it is my opinion that the suicide note was written, unaided, by Paula Gilfoyle declaring her intention of taking her own life.

Professor David Canter.

Director of the Centre for Investigative Psychology. The University of Liverpool.

Report 10^th July 2000.

Taken as a whole the evidence gives me no reason to question the possibility of suicide, and provides several indicators that would direct me towards such a conclusion.

Professor R Glynn Owens. Professor of Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Wales.

Report for the defence dated December 2004.

I believe there is more than enough information and evidence, which have been put forward by a variety of experts in this matter, to render the conviction wholly unsafe.

Dr J Bruce. Psychologist. Letter to CCRC dated 30^th December 2004.

It is my opinion that the suicide note was written, unaided, by Paula Gilfoyle, he said. That this intention was genuine is difficult to determine, but the way in which the note appears to be the culmination of months of thinking of various possibilities for dealing with her situation, and indicates so directly that Paula could see no other way, is consistent with a very real determination to kill herself.

Professor David Canter. Director of the Centre for Investigative Psychology. The University of Liverpool.

The Times Newspaper 25^th February 2008.

Had the jury had the benefit of everything we had, Im sure he wouldnt have been convicted,

I am bloody sure he is innocent. I dont think she was murdered at all.

Graham Gooch. Lecturer in Police and Criminal Investigation at the University of Central Lancashire. Former Superintendent Lancashire Police in charge of the Re-Investigation.

The Times Newspaper 1^st March 2008.

He (Eddie) is a nice, simple chap. People beat a path to my door with miscarriages of justice but I was really convinced he is innocent.

Alison Halford. Former Assistant Chief Constable Merseyside Police.

The Times Newspaper 1^st March 2008.

Theres been a huge miscarriage of justice.

Alison Halford. Former Assistant Chief Constable Merseyside Police.

The News Of The World 9^th March 2008.

Neither of us believes that his conviction can be regarded as safe or satisfactory. Neither appeal involved the wide-ranging consideration of the efficiency of the investigation by Merseyside Police.

Desmond Browne QC & Mathew Nicklin. Lawyers for Channel Four -Trial & Error.

The Times Newspaper 21^st April 2008.