‘Wheels are coming off’ miscarriage of justice watchdog, warns legal expert

The chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Helen Pitcher. Her role is understood to be up to 10 days a month, although the CCRC says she normally puts in more hours. Photograph: Linkedin

The “wheels are coming off” the miscarriage of justice watchdog, legal experts have warned, after it emerged that the commission’s chair has been in Montenegro promoting her property business during one of its biggest modern scandals.

The Guardian revealed on Friday that Helen Pitcher, head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), was pictured barefoot outside a mussels bar promoting her holiday home business while her organisation was in crisis over its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case.