A man previously imprisoned based on the testimony of a corrupt police officer is now having his case reviewed by the courts following the discovery of a miscarriage of justice through a Google search. The corrupt officer, Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell, was known to have falsely accused at least 13 individuals, primarily from the Black community in London during the 1970s. Although Ridgewell passed away in prison in 1982, British Transport Police detectives are currently investigating his former colleagues and questioning witnesses and victims.

Former detective Graham Satchwell uncovered evidence suggesting that Ridgewell may have targeted over 100 people. Satchwell, in collaboration with victim Winston Trew for the book “Rot at the Core,” suspects that as many as 18 corrupt officers may have been involved in the scandal.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission recently announced that the case of Christopher Poulter, a 50-year-old case, has been referred to the Court of Appeal. Poulter, who was 21 at the time, was convicted alongside two others for stealing mailbags in Clapham, south London. One of his co-defendants, Stephen Simmons, had his conviction overturned in 2018.

Simmons learned about Ridgewell’s past in 2013 when a barrister on LBC radio advised him to search for his arresting officer on Google. It was revealed that Ridgewell had been imprisoned for mailbag thefts. Despite allegations of corruption against Ridgewell during the 1976 prosecution, senior BTP officers transferred him to handle postage theft cases instead of investigating the claims. Ridgewell was ultimately sentenced to jail in 1980 for thefts exceeding £1 million.

Even though Ridgewell was convicted in 1980 and Simmons came forward in 2013, it wasn’t until 2024 that the BTP initiated an investigation. Solicitor Jenny Wiltshire from Hickman & Rose representing Poulter stated that the CCRC’s referral of the case brings hope for justice. Poulter’s life was drastically impacted by the false conviction, and efforts to locate Ridgewell’s victims are finally underway.

Ridgewell’s wrongful actions also affected Winston Trew and four others who were wrongly arrested and imprisoned in 1972. They were falsely accused of assaulting an officer at Oval tube station in South London, with their convictions overturned nearly five decades later.