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Good news on the line

14/11/2007

STEFAN Kiszko was cleared of Lesley Molseed’s murder at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday 18 February 1992.

The appeal judges, headed by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Lane, said his conviction was ‘unsafe and unsatisfactory.’

Four eminent doctors had told them that Stefan could not and never would be able to produce sperm which meant he could not have been responsible for staining found on Lesley’s clothing.

The Crown did not oppose the case.

After hearing the evidence Lord Lane concluded that he could not have been the murderer.

When the decision was announced Lesley’s sister Julie wept quietly, being comforted by her father Fred and brother Freddie.

Unfortunately Stefan was not in court to hear his name cleared in person.

He was in Prestwich Mental Hospital receiving treatment, where he would stay until he was well enough to go home.

His mother was not there either, but a phone call to her home at 11.45am brought the news she had been waiting for.

She said: “I’m still shaking. It’s so wonderful that my boy has been cleared of that terrible murder.”

Fred Anderson, said: “This has knocked us all sideways. It’s going to take a long time for us to get over it, but we will all help each other.”

Freddie Anderson said afterwards: “Thank God hanging had been abolished. We wouldn’t have been able to live with it.”