News

A man who was found guilty of raping a five-year-old boy has had his conviction quashed after doubts were thrown on the expert testimony of Dr Camille San Lazaro.

Kevin Brown, of County Durham, was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court in July 1996.

He has always maintained his innocence and his case was referred to the Appeal Court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission - an independent watchdog that investigates suspected miscarriages of justice.

Evidence from San Lazaro had been central to the prosecution case against Brown. But the court heard that San Lazaro had been "completely discredited in relation to her handling of a number of allegations of sexual abuse" during the 2002 libel victory of Tyneside nursery workers Dawn Reed and Christopher Lillie.

Ruling that Brown's conviction was unsafe, Lord Justice Kennedy said medical evidence at his trial had been "oversimplified to the detriment of the defence".