What happened to Andrew Malkinson? The 57-year-old man was wrongly jailed for 17 years for raping a woman in Greater Manchester in 2003 but he is now a free man.
There are a number of people who are innocent but are serving jail terms. Some of these wrongly convicted people end up rioting in jail while others are lucky enough that their cases are reinvestigated and their innocence is proven.
The latter is the case of British man, Andrew Malkinson, who served 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit.
The man, from Grimsby, rejected a police apology after being cleared of raping a woman in 2003.
Below is everything to know about Andrew Malkinson and his prison story.
Who is Andrew Malkinson?
Andrew Malkinson is a British man who was wrongfully convicted and jailed in 2003 for the brutal rape of a 33-year-old woman in Salford, Greater Manchester.
In 2003, he was found guilty and jailed for life with a minimum term of seven years and was released in December 2020.
Andrew maintained his innocence throughout his ordeal, never wanting to “falsely confess” to the crime.
In January 2023, he had his case referred to the court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
He was then cleared on July 26, 2023, after DNA evidence implicated another man in the rape.
The other man is expected to be charged.
Who is Andrew Malkinson’s accuser?
The name and further details of Andrew Malkinson’s accuser are not known yet but she is now a 33-year-old woman.
The female victim had been walking home in Little Hulton when she has dragged down a motorway embankment, strangled until unconscious, and sustained the following injuries: swollen left eye, which she could barely open, a fractured cheekbone, bruising to her neck, scratches, and scrapes to her back, legs and arms, and severe injury to her left nipple. After losing consciousness she was raped.
Malkinson was identified by the victim in an identity parade line-up.
There was no DNA evidence linking him to the crime at the time.
At trial, he was presented as a drifter and was found guilty of two counts of rape and attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent to commit rape but found not guilty of attempted murder after a jury at Manchester Crown Court spent nine hours considering their verdicts.
How long did Andrew Malkinson spend in prison?
Malkinson spent 17 years in prison.
Greater Manchester Police issued an apology to Andrew after he was cleared.
Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson said: “We are truly sorry to Mr Malkinson that he is the victim of such a grave miscarriage of justice in being convicted of a crime he did not commit and serving a 17-year custodial sentence.
“Whilst we hope this outcome gives him a long overdue sense of justice, we acknowledge that it does not return the years he has lost.
“I have offered to meet with him to personally deliver this apology.”
What has Andrew Malkinson said?
Speaking after his conviction was overturned, Malkinson rejected the police apology as “meaningless” and “hollow”.
He also described the “extremely heavy toll” his 17 years in jail took on his mental health, saying he felt like he had been “kidnapped by the state”.
“It’s taken an extremely heavy toll on my person, my psyche, my psychology, my being, my soul,” Andrew said.
“I can’t articulate how I even managed to get through it.”
Describing his reaction to the moment he learned he had been cleared, Andrew told the Guardian: “The judge said, ‘You can walk away a free man,’ and that’s when I started shaking.
“My eyes welled up but I wasn’t ready to start crying.
“One of the first things I thought was, this means I can go away on holiday.”
Malkinson also spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today program about his financial situation, revealing that he is living on benefits and fears he may struggle to get a pay-out.
Malkinson said that in a “a normal course of events” he would expect compensation.
“I lived in Holland for a long time which is a libertarian country and that would be, I understand, just the natural result of all this,” he said.
“But in England, somehow it’s become the norm to fight tooth and nail after you’ve already fought tooth and nail to clear your name – it’s a whole new battle.
“They don’t like paying compensation and there’s resistance every step of the way.”
How old is Andrew Malkinson?
Andrew Malkinson’s exact date of birth is unclear but he is believed to be born either in 1965 or 1966 and by that, he is currently 57 years old. He is from Salford, Greater Manchester.
What are Andrew Malkinson’s height and weight?
Upon his release from jail after being proven innocent, Andrew Malkinson still looked healthy with a normal physique. About his height and weight, it is yet to be revealed.
Who are Andrew Malkinson’s parents?
Andrew Malkinson’s mother is called Trish and after her son was released, she emotionally reacted outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London saying “I’m no longer a deluded mother, and he is no longer a monster.”
Who is Andrew Malkinson’s wife?
There are no reports about Andrew Malkinson being married. However, he could have been a husband with a wife before he was jailed.
Does Andrew Malkinson have any children?
There are no confirmed reports about the wrongly convicted man, Andrew Malkinson, being a father. However, judging from his age at the time of his arrest, which is around 38 years old, he could have already had his own children or adopted kids.
Does Andrew Malkinson have any siblings?
Andrew is rumored to have one sibling, a sister whose name is unknown to the media. According to reports, Andrew Malkinson banned his mother and sister from coming to see him while he was in prison with sex offenders.
What was Andrew Malkinson doing before being jailed?
He worked in The Netherlands starting in 1993, where he became a permanent resident. Now that he is free, he has to rebuild his life, maybe from scratch.
What is Andrew Malkinson’s net worth?
There are no reports about Andrew Malkinson’s fortune. What is known is that he was first working in the Netherlands and after being jailed for over a decade, he is yet to rebuild a career for himself which will lead to an increase in his net worth in the coming years.
Per a BBC report, Malkinson was given compensation but was charged jail living costs, an amount deducted from the money he was given, which he lamented over it.