Ex-care worker cleared of sex abuse offences
A former care worker twice convicted of the same 1980 sex-abuse offences was yesterday cleared by the Court of Appeal for the second time.
Anver Sheikh, 56, from Leicester, spoke of his bitterness over a system that he said had failed him and others jailed in similar cases.
As he emerged from the Royal Courts of Justice, he said: "I am happy to be out, but I am also bitter at the system, that the system has failed me. There are so many people like me in prison who have been in prison without solid evidence."
Earlier, he was in the dock of the London courtroom to hear Lord Justice Hooper, sitting with Mr Justice Aikens and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones, grant his appeal.
Sheikh was initially convicted at York Crown Court in May 2002 of buggery and indecent assault against two 14-year-old boys under his care at a North Yorkshire children's home where he worked as a housemaster.
He was jailed for eight years, but his conviction was overturned in February 2004 by Court of Appeal judges.
At that time he was released on bail, but a retrial was ordered and he faced a jury for a second time. In January last year, Sheikh was convicted and jailed again by Leeds Crown Court.
After submissions on his behalf yesterday from Patrick Cosgrove QC, his convictions were quashed. The prosecution said that no new trial would be sought. Reasons for quashing the convictions will be announced at a later date.
Sheikh's solicitor, Mark Newby, said after the hearing: "This case demonstrates the danger involved in such cases. There could be another 50 cases which should be making their way to the Court of Appeal."
The Historical Abuse Appeals Panel said some of the false allegations against carers and teachers were "compounded by the complicity of the police in failing to carry out a fair and independent investigation".
18 October 2006

and will any of the police be reprimanded?!!!

On a similar note .... Stephen Downing (who was jailed for 23 years - for murder - before being cleared by the Appeal Court) got his final payment of compensation this week.