In 1987 a gang fight on a Hampshire council estate ended with the death of one man, Malcolm Barker. Dave Smith confessed to clubbing Barker with a baseball bat, but it was his friend Sam Hill who was found guilty of the actual blow that caused his death and he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Investigations by the Rough Justice team two years ago culminated both in a televised confession from Smith that it was his blow that killed Barker as well as forensic evidence backing up his story. But when the case was referred to the Court of Appeal, the judges decided Smith was "untruthful" and Hill remained in prison.
This second programme on the subject, True Confessions, takes Smith back to the scene to recall the events of the night and also interviews his probation officer, members of his family and a criminal psychologist who believes that Smith is telling the truth. Producer Charles Hunter says: "Quite simply, we think the appeal courtjudges have compounded a tragic miscarriage of justice." Director Robin Sheppard