Greater Manchester police failure led to man spending 17 years in prison, court told

Andrew Malkinson, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, said he had ‘often fantasised’ about making it to appeal. Photograph: Emily Dugan/The Guardian

Greater Manchester police failed to disclose key evidence that could have prevented a man spending 17 years in prison for rape when no DNA linked him to the crime, the court of appeal was told today.

Andrew Malkinson was convicted of raping a 33-year-old woman by a motorway in Greater Manchester in 2003. He always insisted he was innocent, spending an extra decade in prison as a result.