The murder of Lesley Molseed - Wrongful conviction of Stephan Kiszko

[John]

I do wonder in this case and also the case of Jill Dando and Barry George-how the hell was the questioning conducted? Did they have advocates (I think not) to help them? In one report I heard (well an interview) it was said that Stefan Kiszko said he'd done it because he thought they'd let him go home for christmas-how bad is that!?

I can well believe that [Name removed]o, it happens all the time unfortunately.  Some police officers and especially detectives think that they are above the Law!

[Holly Goodhead]

I recall watching a film about the case.  It was so sad.  On Stefan's first birthday in prison his mother planted a tree in her garden which was say around 40cm tall.  When he was released it was as tall as the house.  I found this so poignant.

He developed schizophrenia whilst in prison and one can't help but wonder whether this was brought on by all the taunts and physical attacks he suffered at the hands of inmates.

Prior to prison he was socially awkward.  I think I've seen it mentioned that he had Aspergers Syndrome but I am unsure if he was diagnosed as such.  Again one can only wonder whether his awkwardness made him an easy target for a wrongful conviction.   

I haven't had a chance to read all about the case Holly but you have answered one of my questions which was why were the police able to pick on him so easily.

I also find the conduct of the girls who made the false claims about him to be despicable.

He was the subject of abuse and attacks in prison for many years because of the crime for which he was convicted of.

From 1979 onwards, Kiszko developed schizophrenia whilst in prison and began to suffer from delusions, one being that he was the victim of a plot to incarcerate an innocent tax-office employee so the effects of imprisonment would be tested on him. Over the next 11 years any of Kiszko's claims of innocence were labelled by prisons he was held in as symptoms of his schizophrenic delusions, or because they felt he was in a mental state of denial over the murder. One forensic psychiatrist in prison made a note of Kiszko suffering from "delusions of innocence".


Absolutely appalling that an innocent man had to suffer this...what must he have thought about society?

Yes the girls' false claims were despicable.  They appeared very young in the film say early teens at most and I am sure had no idea of the seriousness of what they were alleging.

It was most unfortunate in that Stefan had some sort of hormonal imbalance meaning that he had little or no sex drive.  He had recently received treatment for this and developed a 'normal' sex drive.  As such he purchased some pornographic magazines (as most young men do I believe).  He kept them in the boot of his car perhaps because he lived with his mother.  On the day in question he drove to a quiet location to view the magazines.  He then returned the magazines to the boot of his car but had forgotten to zip himself up.  I can't recall whether he was actually exposed or not.  The girls suddenly appeared from nowhere and saw him in a slight state of undress and possibly exposed.  It was all entirely innocent but obviously the consequences for Stefan were disastrous. 

[Dog The Bounty Hunter]

Good afternoon guys.   The Kiszko case is a very good example of how the police and the prosecuting folks can get away with just about anything if they choose to do so.  I notice that some of them were charged following Mr Kiszkos release but were saved due to the passage of time and allowed to carry on.  What a sham!!!

The girls were 13 apparently.

[Matthew Wyse]

Good afternoon guys.   The Kiszko case is a very good example of how the police and the prosecuting folks can get away with just about anything if they choose to do so.  I notice that some of them were charged following Mr Kiszkos release but were saved due to the passage of time and allowed to carry on.  What a sham!!!

The girls were 13 apparently.

Spot on BH....I found this on Wiki

The 1976 trial judge Sir Hugh Park, who had praised the police and the 13-year-old girls at the original trial for bringing Kiszko to justice, apologised for what had happened to Kiszko but said he was not sorry for how he had handled the court case.

[Matthew Wyse]

I think it is worth posting this as well.



Police cleared of any wrongdoing

In 1994 the surviving senior officer in charge of the original investigation Detective Superintendent Dick Holland and the forensic scientist who worked on the case Ronald Outteridge (retired), were formally charged with "doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice" by allegedly suppressing evidence against Kiszko, namely the results of scientific tests on semen taken from the victim's body and from the accused. On May Day, 1995 the case was challenged by defence barristers, arguing that the case was an abuse of process and that charges should be stayed as the passage of time had made a fair trial impossible. The presiding magistrate agreed and as the case was never presented before a jury, the law regards the accused as presumed innocent.

Holland, who came to public prominence as a senior officer on the flawed investigation into the murders committed by the Yorkshire Ripper, retired in 1988, at a time when he viewed the conviction of both Kiszko and of Judith Ward (In May 1992 her conviction was also viewed as unsafe by the High Court) as being among his finest hours during his 35 years in the police force. However, Holland was demoted during the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry four years after Kiszko's conviction. He died in February 2007 at the age of 74.

[Dog The Bounty Hunter]

I think it is worth posting this as well.



Police cleared of any wrongdoing

In 1994 the surviving senior officer in charge of the original investigation Detective Superintendent Dick Holland and the forensic scientist who worked on the case Ronald Outteridge (retired), were formally charged with "doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice" by allegedly suppressing evidence against Kiszko, namely the results of scientific tests on semen taken from the victim's body and from the accused. On May Day, 1995 the case was challenged by defence barristers, arguing that the case was an abuse of process and that charges should be stayed as the passage of time had made a fair trial impossible. The presiding magistrate agreed and as the case was never presented before a jury, the law regards the accused as presumed innocent.

Holland, who came to public prominence as a senior officer on the flawed investigation into the murders committed by the Yorkshire Ripper, retired in 1988, at a time when he viewed the conviction of both Kiszko and of Judith Ward (In May 1992 her conviction was also viewed as unsafe by the High Court) as being among his finest hours during his 35 years in the police force. However, Holland was demoted during the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry four years after Kiszko's conviction. He died in February 2007 at the age of 74.

That must be the biggest get out of bull I have ever heard.  They can prosecute paedophiles and others after 30 years but not one of their own???   That poor guy must have suffered dreadfully and that s..mbag Holland whose first name just happens to be DICK is well named.

[John]

Here are some of the ITN news reports from the time.

http://www.itnsource.com/en/searchresults/


Just select the title and when it loads Press the orange "Play Clip" button at the bottom of the article.

[John]

After release from prison Kiszko had been told he would receive £500,000 in compensation for the years spent in prison. He had received an interim payment, but neither he nor his mother ever received the full amount they were awarded, since both died before Kiszko was due to receive it.

[Dog The Bounty Hunter]

One of many Dhingra. 

[Dog The Bounty Hunter]

They cant be trusted to carry out any investigation into their own people.