University News Last updated 02 July
From murder and extortion to arson and terrorism, Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Forensic Case archive contains over 400 criminal cases and is being used to tell the stories of some of the UK’s biggest true crime stories.
Channel 4 producers recently got access to some documents within the University’s archives whilst researching for their latest documentary, The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt.
The new four-part series focuses on several UK cases of potential miscarriages of justice, assessing the evidence and expert witness opinion used at the time to evaluate the safety of the convictions.
With BCU’s Professor Craig Jackson as their guide, the producers explored case files from the investigation into Paula Gilfoyle’s death in 1992 and the subsequent trial of her husband, Eddie Gilfoyle.
This tragic case saw Eddie sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his pregnant wife, Paula, although many considered her death to be a suicide.
In 2020, the archives were handed over to the University by psychologist Professor David Canter, who also assisted Lancashire Police in their major review of the case after Eddie Gilfoyle’s conviction, who was released from prison in 2010.
The documents included full court transcripts, witness statements, custody records, interview notes, evidence statements, and some original materials belonging to Paula Gilfoyle.
Due to the length of time since the initial trial, many of those originally involved are no longer able to provide assistance for the Channel 4 series, which is where the BCU Forensic Case archive stepped in.
The archive provided a timeline of the police investigation, trial and the review of the original investigation along with assessments made by Professor Canter and other expert witnesses.
Professor Craig Jackson, who maintains and catalogues the archive content, said: “We must be very sensitive regarding the details of the criminal offences contained, and what details we can release, and that is of paramount consideration when assisting production companies.
“Whatever direction journalists wish to take, it must be remembered that the archive is a valuable educational resource, but respect for the victims of the crime, the innocent and their families must come first.”
Hours of painstaking research and factchecking go into creating every true crime TV show on our screens and Professor Jackson is one of many BCU academics lending their expertise behind the scenes.
Episode three of The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt airs on Channel 4 on Thursday 2 July at 10pm. You can catch up online.