Court quashes 1976 theft convictions over link to corrupt London police officer

The two men are the 14th and 15th people to have their convictions quashed in relation to misconduct by Derek Ridgewell (above). Photograph: Handout

Two men have had theft convictions quashed at the court of appeal half a century after they were wrongfully arrested because of a corrupt police officer, although one did not live to see his exoneration.

Christopher Poulter and Kevin Biggs were 21 and 18 respectively when they were convicted in 1976 of taking 13 mailbags from a wagon in a Clapham goods yard in London.