DARREN VICKERS, CHILD KILLER FROM MANCHESTER, LAUNCHES SECOND BID FOR FREEDOM IN REDDISH VALE CASE

In a development that has reignited public interest and concern, Darren Vickers, a man convicted of the heinous murder of an eight-year-old boy, has initiated his second attempt to secure his release from incarceration. Vickers, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1999, is currently held at Whitemoor Prison, a maximum security facility located in Cambridgeshire. His latest appeal is now under review by three High Court judges, who are deliberating whether to grant him permission to challenge his conviction.

Vickers, a former bus driver, became infamous after being convicted for the abduction and murder of Jamie Lavis, a young boy from Openshaw. The tragic events unfolded on May 5, 1997, when Jamie, who had been befriended by Vickers and had spent the day riding around on his bus, disappeared without a trace. The case drew widespread media attention and public outrage, especially after some of Jamie’s remains were discovered five months later in the undergrowth of Reddish Vale, a location near Stockport in Greater Manchester.

Despite his conviction, Vickers has made multiple appeals, the first of which was rejected in November of the previous year when a senior judge refused to allow him to challenge his conviction. Now, his mother, Wendy, is hopeful that this renewed effort will succeed. She has publicly stated her belief in her son’s innocence, expressing her anguish over his imprisonment. "It’s been so hard while Darren’s been in jail. I feel like I’m in prison too. I just want people to know he’s innocent. I’m doing everything in my power to fight his conviction," she said. Wendy has also credited Ann Price, a campaigner who has supported their case, for her tireless efforts.

Vickers’s case is complicated by his previous confessions and the circumstances surrounding his conviction. After being sentenced, Vickers admitted to the crime, but his mother insists that this confession was made solely to protect his family from being prosecuted themselves. Vickers’s partner, Faith Stafford, along with his sister Sheree Vickers and friends Ian Tucker and Paul Whitehead, had been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice. However, all five were ultimately acquitted of these charges, which involved allegations of lying about Vickers’s whereabouts on the day Jamie disappeared.

Wendy Vickers claims that new evidence has come to light that could potentially exonerate her son. She stated, "We have new evidence and as soon as we were all cleared for lying then Darren had an alibi for the night of the murder." This assertion has added a new dimension to the ongoing legal proceedings, which are now awaiting the formal written summary of the case, a process that typically takes two to three months.

Meanwhile, the police have acknowledged receipt of correspondence from Vickers’s family, which they are currently reviewing. A police spokesperson indicated that the case remains under consideration, but no further details have been disclosed at this time.

In a related development in 1999, Vickers, then 28, made a startling confession just five days after his conviction. During a court hearing at Preston Crown Court, he formally admitted to abducting, sexually assaulting, and murdering Jamie Lavis. Prosecutors revealed that Vickers had initially attempted to blame Jamie’s father, John Lavis, but later recanted that claim, asserting that Mr. Lavis had no involvement in his son’s death.

Vickers had contacted police from prison on April 24, 1999, the day after his sentencing, requesting to speak with Detective Superintendent Roy Rainford, who had led the investigation. In an interview four days later, Vickers detailed how he had taken Jamie against his will, subjected him to abuse, and ultimately killed him at Reddish Vale. His account included the removal of the boy’s clothes and the disposal of his remains, which included a torso and jawbone.

During the trial, Vickers’s story was challenged by the prosecution, with Mr. Justice Forbes describing his claim that Jamie’s father was responsible as “dishonest and utterly without foundation.” The defense, led by Anthony Gee, criticized the timing of Vickers’s confession, suggesting it was too late for remorse or explanation. The court was informed that a transcript of the confession would be sent to the Home Secretary, who would consider when Vickers might be eligible for parole.

Detective Rainford, speaking after the court proceedings, emphasized that the confession had significant implications, not only for the legal process but also for the family and the community. He expressed relief that the truth had been uncovered, stating, “It has vindicated the people and the areas I have previously explained,” and reaffirmed that Jamie Lavis’s name had now been cleared.