Peter Sullivan accuses police of 'brutal beatings' after being wrongfully jailed for 38 years

LONDON: A man who spent 38 years in prison for a murder he did not commit has claimed police beat him and compelled a false confession, in his first interview since his release.

Peter Sullivan, 68, told the BBC he was “stitched up” over the 1986 killing of Diane Sindall in Birkenhead. His conviction was overturned in May after DNA tests proved his innocence.

Sullivan, who has learning difficulties, claims he was assaulted by officers during 22 police interviews in 1986. He alleges that the officers subjected him to physical abuse and intimidation to coerce a confession.

He asserted that the police threw a blanket over him and hit him with truncheons to get him to cooperate. Furthermore, he claims they threatened to charge him with “35 other rapes” and deprived him of essential needs such as 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. Additionally, police records verify he was denied legal advice for the first seven interviews.

Peter Sullivan’s conviction was overturned by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in 2023 following fresh DNA testing of semen samples from the victim, which excluded him. The original case had relied on bite-mark evidence, which has since been discredited, and a confession from Sullivan that he later retracted.

Merseyside Police expressed regret over the miscarriage of justice but maintained that their officers acted within the law. The force stated that it was previously unaware of the allegations of mistreatment and that it has since strengthened its guidelines regarding the involvement of appropriate adults. They have referred themselves to the police watchdog, but no misconduct was identified.

Since his release, Sullivan has struggled to adapt to a world that has changed significantly 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 standing in his bedroom, awaiting prison roll call.

Sullivan demands an apology from Merseyside Police. He said, “I can’t forgive them. It’s going to be there for the rest of my life.” His lawyer, Sarah Myatt, who fought his case for 20 years, called his written note on police maps—”this is all lies”—”poignant.”

The Crown Prosecution Service declared that it prosecuted based on the evidence available at the time. The victim’s murder case has been reopened, though no arrests have been made.

Sullivan is now 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.”