Sir John May was a former Court of Appeal judge appointed by the British Government to investigate the miscarriages of justice related to the Maguire Seven and other miscarriages linked to IRA bombing offences. He was educated at Clifton College

Clifton College

Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...

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On 20 October 1989 following the quashing of the Guildford Four

Guildford Four

The Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven were two sets of people whose convictions in English courts for the Guildford pub bombings in the 1970s were eventually quashed...

 convictions, May was appointed to chair an inquiry into both that case and the related case of the Maguire Seven. On 12 July 1990, the Home Secretary

Home Secretary

The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...

 David Waddington

David Waddington, Baron Waddington

David Charles Waddington, Baron Waddington, GCVO, DL, QC, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1968 to 1990, and was then made a life peer...

 published the interim report, Interim Report on the Maguire Case : The Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the convictions arising out of the bomb attacks in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974.

The report criticised the trial judge John Donaldson

John Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Lymington

John Francis Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Lymington PC, QC was a senior British judge who served as Master of the Rolls for 10 years, from 1982 to 1992.- Early and private life :...

. It unearthed improprieties in the handling of scientific evidence that were also relevant to the other cases and declared the convictions unsound and recommended referral back to the Court of Appeal.

RARDE scientific tests

The Inquiry found that RARDE scientists Walter Elliott and Douglas Higgs had lied and suppressed evidence at the trials of both Judith Ward

Judith Ward

Judith Theresa Ward is a British woman known for being a victim of unsafe convictions in 1974 for the bombing of Euston Station in 1973, and of the National Defence College and M62 coach bombings in 1974. Her conviction was quashed and she was released from prison on 11 May 1992...

 and the Maguire Seven. They knew but did not say that a positive result was not unique for nitroglycerine. They did not disclose, even to the prosecution, negative secondary tests.

The terms of reference of the initial inquiry were expanded, as a result, to include

• The preparation of court evidence by expert witnesses
• The advance disclosure of scientific findings
• The authorisation of prosecutions based on scientific evidence
• Home Office assessment of scientific evidence after miscarriage claims

Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

On 14 March 1991, the inquiry became the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

The Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, also known as the Runciman Commission, was established on 14 March 1991 by the Home Secretary. The Commission was the continuation of Sir John May's inquiry into the false convictions of the Maguire Seven and extension to other miscarriages of justice...

 covering the systemic problems uncovered earlier.The commission was chaired by Viscount Runciman of Doxford

Viscount Runciman of Doxford

Viscount Runciman of Doxford, of Doxford in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the Hon. Walter Runciman, a politician whose career included service as a Member of Parliament, President of the Board of Trade and Lord President of...

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