Family murder conviction quashed

A former scrap metal dealer who was jailed for life for the brutal murder of three generations of one family had his convictions quashed today by the appeal court.

David Morris, 42, of Craig-cefn-parc, near Swansea, south Wales, mouthed the word "yes" as the appeal court in Cardiff ruled that a conflict of interest made his four convictions for murder unsafe.

Morris was jailed for life in June 2002 after being found guilty of bludgeoning to death a family of four.

Mandy Power, 34, daughters Katie, 10, Emily, 8, and grandmother Doris Dawson, 80, were bludgeoned to death in their home at Clydach, near Swansea, in June 1999.

Lord Justice Pill, Mr Justice Curtis and Mr Justice Pitchford, sitting at Cardiff Crown Court this morning, summarised the original trial and the appeal which concluded last month.

Lord Justice Pill, reading out the ruling in court, said that an argument which claimed Morris had not got a fair trial because of a conflict of interest had succeeded.

Morris's solicitor in the original case had also represented one of the other prime suspects in the police investigation.

After the appeal court ruling, Morris's sister Debra said: "We are pleased at the outcome today but this is not something that we should be going through anyway because my brother is innocent.

"I have never doubted him in any way."

She said that after the verdict she immediately phoned her mother to give her the news because she, being disabled, was unable to attend the hearing today.

She also said that Morris had not seen any of his grandchildren in the three years since he was jailed and she hoped that that would be possible now.