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Robert Brown Case Notes: Personal Introduction from Eamonn O’Neill

This page contains links to many of the key articles/films I worked on in the Robert Brown case. They represent the 11 years I spent investigating this case for broadsheet newspapers, magazines and British TV documentaries. It’s generally recognised to be the UK’s worst and longest running miscarriage of justice case in legal history.

If anyone had told me that my investigative journalism would be instrumental in freeing a man jailed for a murder for almost 26 years I’d have laughed. If anyone had told me that my work on this one story would span 11 years of my journalistic career I’d have laughed even louder. In the end, both turned out to be true.

It was a long slog. But I don’t regret a single second of it. I’m glad I never quit.

Eventually in November 2002, Robert Brown faced three Appeal Court judges in London. The evidence I’d been uncovering and publishing/broadcasting for those 11 years was finally aired in a legal setting. Within 18 minutes the original conviction was quashed. Robert left court with a train voucher, a few personal possessions and no other assistance. Within months the state would bill him for 26 years ‘Bed & Breakfast’, on the premise he’d ‘saved’ incurring these expenses whilst locked up for a murder the judicial system acknowledges he didn’t commit. Robert still refuses to pay this.

But – at the very least – he had his freedom. He’d been jailed when 19 years of age, now he was free, closer to 50.

For some journalists, this might have felt like a victory but in all honesty, for me it didn’t. However, I did get to see Margaret Brown emotionally reunite in private with her son Robert in Glasgow 24 hrs later – and that memory will stay with me always. Margaret died a year later from cancer. 

Instead, for me, this case represents a newfound start in journalism. It made me realise what my profession was capable of.

Robert Brown currently lives quietly in Glasgow. We stay in touch, he has met some of my journalism students in recent months and he still campaigns for other miscarriage of justice victims I write about regularly. As always, Robert never fails to inspire me – as does the memory of his mother.

Don’t hesitate to contact me after reading the articles, if you want to express any thoughts or ask any questions. I’ll be only too pleased to hear from you.

Best regards,

Eamonn O’Neill – Summer 2007.

Robert Brown leaves the Court of Appeal, London on November 13th 2002. He is flanked on left by his lawyer Robert Lizar and myself, Eamonn O'Neill, on right.

Newspaper Links

SYSTEM WILL TRY TO KEEP ME CAGED UP

THERE WAS NO APOLOGY

FREEDOM FIGHTER

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: TIME WON'T HEAL: AN INVESTIGATION

Television Links

For links to BBC Scotland's Frontline Homepage – scroll down list and click on link for each programme: :

Frontline: ‘True Confessions' (April 2004)

Frontline: ‘The Case That Jack Built': (Sept 2002)

Frontline: ‘Free At Last': (Nov 2002)

Below is the link to BBC Scotland's main News page which carries the most recent revelations about this case which is still causing controversy to this day.
After reading this please click on the links on the right hand sidebar for previous coverage on the BBC:

Robert Brown (centre) and myself (left) and the legal team (inc. Robert Lizar, lawyer, back centre, and Ben Emmerson QC, front right) gather barely one-hour after his release. Despite the smiles, the reality was that Robert had no money; no apology; no pre-release aid; and apart from his 26 year-old prison number, no 'identity' in the normal sense. The UK government would later bill Robert for 'Bed and Breakfast' + domestic (toilet rolls; soap etc) expenses he allegedly 'incurred' whilst wrongfully locked up for a quarter of a century. He is refusing to pay this.

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