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Jonathan Reid

Age: 51

Sex: male

Date: 1 Apr 1996

Place: 45 Piedmont Road, Plumstead

Jonathan Reid was assaulted at his flat at 45 Piedmont Road, Plumstead which was later set on fire in April 1996.

He had been involved in an argument earlier on in the evening.

Three men were convicted for his murder, but their convictions were first quashed in 1998 but they were retried and reconvicted. However, their convictions were again quashed on 19 June 2006 after it was heard that the evidence given by a pathologist had been discredited.

The pathologist had faced a Home Office disciplinary tribunal into his professional conduct after complaints were heard from his peers.

It was heard that the pathologist had said that Jonathan Reid might have drowned in his blood because of injuries to his head and lips and that Jonathan Reid had been unconscious after the assault. However, evidence was later heard from other pathologists that questioned several of the pathologist’s conclusions.

After the men were acquitted of the murder the judge gave them 8-year sentences each for outstanding charges of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.

It was heard that the men had admitted to assaulting Jonathan Reid but denied having set his flat on fire and as such the murder trial hinged on whether Jonathan Reid had died from his injuries during the assault or had died as a result of the fire and fumes.

The police said that they could not determine the source of the fire.

Jonathan Reid had been a white man and had been married to a black woman and it was said that his murder had been the result of a long-running racist campaign.


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