'Gang narrative' murder convictions set for appeal

THE MURDER convictions of three men in Manchester in 2017 have been referred to the Court of Appeal after a long legal fight by their families.

- By PAUL BRITON

From left: Durrell Goodall, Reano Walters and Trey Wilson

It will now be for Appeal Court judges to determine whether their convictions are unsafe, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said in a statement.

The chair of the commission, Dame Vera Baird KC, said the referral 'highlights the need for safeguards to protect defendants' against what she called a 'too readily adopted gang narrative'. In a statement, the CCRC said 'new evidence' submitted on their behalf 'undermines' the 'gang narrative' relied on by the prosecution during two separate trials. Durrell Goodall, Reano Walters and Trey Wilson were convicted then jailed in August 2017 for the 'joint enterprise' murder of Abdul Hafidah, 18, in Moss Side in May 2016, the CCRC said.