Appeal court clears 'torso trial' pair 25 years after conviction

Two men convicted of double murder in the "torso trial" 25 years ago were cleared by the Court of Appeal yesterday.

Reginald Dudley, now 77, and Robert Maynard, 63, who were given life jail terms at the Old Bailey in 1977 for the killings of London underworld figures William Moseley and Michael Cornwall, could now be in line for massive compensation. The murder investigation began when Moseley's torso was washed up in the Thames. Cornwall's body was found in a shallow grave in Hertfordshire a year later. Weeks after the Old Bailey trial, Moseley's head was left in a public toilet.

Dudley and Maynard had been released from prison some time before the hearing of their appeal, which began last week after being referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Lord Justice Mantell, Mr Justice Holman and Mr Justice Gibbs quashed their convictions as "unsafe" and said they would give reasons for their decision at a later date.