Christopher Cummings was convicted at Belfast Crown Court in 1980 on one count of causing an explosion outside a branch of the Ulster Bank in Stewartstown, Co Tyrone on New Year’s Eve 1978, and two counts of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

Mr Cummings was interviewed by police several times. He did not sign any statement presented to him by police, but police claimed he made admissions about the bombing and his connections to the Provisional IRA.

At trial, the prosecution relied on these police interviews and unsigned written statements. The defence unsuccessfully argued that the statements had been fabricated.

Mr Cummings was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, reduced to 12 years on appeal. He was released from prison in the late 1980s. 

He applied to the CCRC, the miscarriages of justice review body for Northern Ireland as well as England and Wales, in 2018, making several arguments about his conviction.

The CCRC initially made a provisional decision not to refer the case.  

However, Mr Cummings’ representatives obtained a new expert report which supported their contention that the police statements could not be relied upon. The CCRC also identified new information about the previous conduct of some of the interviewing officers.

After further analysis, the CCRC said it believes there is now a real possibility the Court of Appeal will not uphold Mr Cummings’ conviction and has therefore made the referral.

Since 1997, the CCRC has referred around 50 criminal convictions or sentences back to Northern Ireland’s appellate courts.