Media and Press

Dr Ali Dizaei makes renewed conviction appeal
Mon 28th Jun 10 - 14:48

As featured by BBC News, Guardian and Independent.

Former Scotland Yard officer to ask panel of judges to reconsider appeal against conviction, which was rejected earlier this month.

Dr Ali Dizaei, the former senior Scotland Yard officer, is to make a last ditch bid to have his conviction for corruption overturned, his solicitor said today.

The former police commander plans to ask a panel of judges to reconsider his appeal against his conviction and sentence. Dizaei, 47, believes he has grounds to prove his trial was unfair and that his four-year jail term was too harsh.

The move comes after a senior judge sitting alone ruled he had no grounds for an appeal earlier this month. Dizaei will now ask a panel of judges, sitting in public at the court of appeal, to reconsider his arguments.

Stephen Fox, senior partner at Ralli Solicitors, confirmed Dizaei had instructed him to co-ordinate a renewed appeal. He said: "Although being refused leave to appeal by a single judge, Ali Dizaei has instructed Ralli solicitors and two QCs, Michael Mansfield and Matthew Ryder, to go directly to the court of appeal and renew his application."

Dizaei was jailed in February after a jury found him guilty of attempting to frame an Iraqi businessman when they fell out over money.

The court heard the Iranian-born officer threatened, assaulted, falsely arrested and faked evidence against Waad al-Baghdadi, who had built a website for him.

The two men clashed physically in the street after being caught on CCTV arguing at a Persian restaurant in west London.

It is understood the appeal focuses on the evidence of waiter Ahmad Golizadeh, who witnessed Dizaei's actions at the restaurant.

It also questions whether the four-year jail term is excessive when compared with other police officers convicted of similar offences. Dizaei is the most senior British police officer in three decades to be convicted of corruption offences.

Dizaei has endured a torrid time since being jailed, including being attacked and covered in slop, and is now jailed in Monmouthshire for his safety.

He could be ordered to serve the period of time between his failed first appeal bid and the final decision under section 29 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.