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Acquitted Liverpool man gets payout

by isleofman.com 21st November 2009

A Liverpool man who spent over three months in Manx police custody before being released due to a lack of evidence, has been awarded costs out of taxpayers' money.

Darren Matthews, 40, was arrested and charged in April in connection with the importation of ?33,000-worth of cannabis to the Island.

He's been given just over ?4,500.

In his judgement, Deputy Deemster Alastair Montgomerie rejected Mr Matthew's claim for costs from the Chief Constable.

He ruled the police had been right to charge Mr Matthews under the circumstances and his remand in custody was justified, given the seriousness of the alleged offences and the fact he wasn't local and may therefore try and leave the Island.

Further evidence in the form of fingerprints and mobile phone records was awaited which, when it finally came through, did not implicate Mr Matthews.

The Deputy Deemster was critical of the lack of communication between the police and the Attorney General's Chambers.

This led to a gap of over a month between the former getting the phone evidence and the latter finding out about it, during which time Mr Matthews was twice refused bail.

Posted by isleofman.com
Saturday 21st, November 2009 06:10pm.

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