Article from East Anglian Daily Times
17 May 2008by James Hore
Bamber: 'I will die a free man'
Jeremy Bamber has told the EADT that he still believes he will one day walk free from prison, despite being told yesterday he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Bamber, serving life for killing five members of his family at their Essex farmhouse in 1985, was told by a judge that the murders were so “exceptionally serious” that he would die in jail.
The killer was originally told he would serve 25 years, before former Home Secretary Michael Howard increased the sentence to his whole natural life.
The 47-year-old, who has always protested his innocence, had hoped to be given a tariff that would give him some hope of parole.
But after reviewing the case, Mr Justice Tugendhat said: “These murders were exceptionally serious.
“In my judgment, you ought to spend the whole of the rest of your life in prison, and I so order.”
The judge said he had read submissions from Bamber's solicitors pointing out that he was not suffering from mental illness and was behaving and progressing well in prison.
He had also read victim impact statements from the remaining family members.
Bamber was found guilty by a majority verdict of shooting his wealthy adoptive parents, June and Nevill, his sister Sheila Caffell, and her six-year-old twin sons Daniel and Nicholas at their farmhouse in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, near Maldon.
The prosecution said he had murdered them out of greed, hoping to inherit a £500,000 fortune.
Speaking to the EADT yesterday, Bamber said: “I still believe that I will die a free man.
“But I find it incredible that on the one hand they say this and on the other hand they will have to release me for a retrial.
“I have the evidence that can prove my innocence but it does not make any difference - it seems that they can do what they like.
“The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has had years to make its decision on the case.”
He claimed: “There are 58 missing photos of the crime scene - the key ones that show Sheila's body was restaged - and they are the ones that have been withdrawn from the file - it is scandalous. We have been asking for them for the past nine months.
“I am prepared to have a retrial, I have done everything I can do get the case reviewed, it is utterly frustrating - I have told the truth since day-one to now, but all they want to do is suppress the evidence.”
It has also emerged that Bamber has been barred from corresponding with his legal team after his “rule 39” entitlement was withdrawn.
He claimed: “They do not want to admit the truth of my innocence - it is a form of mental torture - 'get the few last kicks in before we have to let him go'.
“I believe the prison governor will have to backtrack and say 'no we can't do that' , but I now have a gagging order on me and it will take four or five months to remove it through the courts.
“In the end the truth will come out.
“The information is out there now - they can't put it back in the box - it is in the public arena now.”
Bamber's solicitor Marcus Farrar said: “We were hoping that there would be at least some prospect of knowing when he could be released, but to have no light at the end of the tunnel is a disappointment to him.”
He said there could be an appeal against the decision in the British courts, but did not rule out taking the case to the Europe.
And on the “missing” photos, he said: “There has been no reason given for the non-disclosure of the photos. They are in existence as the CCRC has them, but their stance is they seem to send us the ones they think we need and are considering the request for the other ones.
“We don't know what is on them, but would like to see them so we can see one way or the other if they are of assistance to us.”
David Boutflour, Bamber's cousin, said: “We were anxious as to what the outcome might be - you have to remember that what he did and what he has the potential to do.
“We now have a sense that justice and common sense has prevailed - it had been a worrying situation.
“I have family and a grandchild now and safeguarding them is paramount and we worry what would happen if he did come out.
“I am saddened that he will have to spend the rest of his life in prison, but for everybody's security, I think that is the only place he can remain.”
A spokeswoman for the CCRC said they could not discuss the details of the missing photos.
She said: We are unable to say very much about this - just that the case is still under review and it is taking this amount of time because of the complexities of the case.”
She said there was no indication about when the decision would be taken about referring the case to the Court of Appeal.
An Essex Police spokeswoman said they could not comment on the case because of the ongoing CCRC review.
A Home Office spokeswoman said they could not comment on individual prisoners.