Wrongly Accused: The Annette Hewins Story

A deadly fire leads to the conviction of Annette Hewins for arson, but after 3 years in prison her sentence is quashed. Her daughter Nicole uncovers the miscarriage of justice

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Episodes

9. Seeking The Truth

With her conviction for triple murder overturned and the Royal Court of Justice ruling ‘there was no sufficient evidence to convict her’, Annette is finally free from prison, but will she ever recover from its effects? Convict turned detective, Annette campaigns for a police re-investigation of the Gurnos Fire murders. Annette tells reporters she will fight for the rest of her life to bring the real killers to justice. Is there any hidden or forgotten information that can provide insights into w...

May 02, 2024•38 min

8. Waiting For Justice

Judges at London's Royal Court of Appeal rule in the case of Annette Hewins, there was insufficient evidence to convict her, and she walks free. She is released and returns home only to find life more challenging than ever. This is compounded by a statement by police released to the media telling her not to return to her home town. Nicole hears herself at the age of 7 talking about the difficult time without her Mum, and how she is so happy to have her home. An Inspire Film and Television Produc...

Apr 25, 2024•37 min

7. Annette's Heroes

The jury returns with a 10-2 majority verdict. Annette faces a long time in prison, but still insists that she is innocent. Her mother-in-law, Veronica, gradually gets an appeals campaign underway. Top solicitors, journalists and family members join the cause. As the campaign progresses there is increasing concern about Annette's worsening mental health in prison. Will she survive in prison long enough to see if her Appeal hearing is granted? An Inspire Film and Television Production for BBC Sou...

Apr 18, 2024•36 min

6. The Trial - "Ugly" Forensics

Annette Hewins stands in the dock accused of triple murder. The prosecution claims Annette syphoned petrol from her car to commit arson, tragically taking the lives of a mother and two children. But what do we know about the type of petrol used in the fire, and was it the same as the petrol Annette bought for her car? At trial, an astonishing battle between two forensic scientists commences in the courtroom, one for the prosecution and one for the defence. They conduct very different tests, so w...

Apr 11, 2024•30 min

5. The Trial - Pick and Choose

The trial begins as Annette and her co-defendants, Donna and Denise, face charges of triple murder. Central to the prosecution's argument lies the contradictory testimonies given by a 17-year-old girl, 'Subject A,' initially a suspect but later a witness. The defence argue Subject A's statements to the police were extracted through undue pressure. The fate of the women hung in the balance. Whose testimony will the jury believe? Annette's daughter, Nicole, investigates seeking the opinion of an e...

Apr 04, 2024•32 min

4. Pregnant In Prison

Annette Hewins faces charges of triple murder and begins her prison sentence, three months pregnant. Whilst on remand, Annette gives birth to Joshua, in an ambulance, on a roundabout outside the prison. The discovery of tape recordings by miscarriage of justice victim Johnny Kamara, sheds a poignant light on Annette's time behind bars, offering a glimpse into the harsh realities of pregnancy within the prison system. These recordings become a portal for her children, Nicole and Joshua, granting ...

Mar 28, 2024•34 min

3. Investigation Innuendoes

In October 1995 police launch a triple murder investigation in Merthyr Tydfil, following an arson attack that killed a mother and two children. Crime scene investigators find a washing up liquid bottle and a can of Coke both containing petrol. But who committed such an evil crime? After a television appeal and the fingerprinting of the entire Gurnos community police are confident of new lines of enquiry, but 4 months later no arrests ware made. Pressure is on for results. Then South Wales Police...

Mar 21, 2024•33 min

2. A Tragic Fire

Nicole delves into the history of her hometown Merthyr Tydfil, with a focus on the Gurnos housing estate, nestled in the valleys just outside town. This is where her mother grew up, but was also the location of a deadly fire, that took the lives of a mother and two infant children in October 1995. Initially, residents believed the tragedy was a result of an electrical fault. Shockwaves reverberated through the tight-knit community when authorities revealed that the fire was deliberately set – an...

Mar 14, 2024•28 min

1. Her Story Must Be Heard

An unknown woman is admitted to the hospital and detained under the Mental Health Act. In her distress, and while withdrawing from drugs, she relives her most painful moments. In a desperate plea she cries out, "find the real killers." She dies hours later. The woman is revealed as Annette Hewins, a beloved mother of five, who suffered a miscarriage of justice 20 years earlier. Narrated by her daughter Nicole, who’s looking to uncover the truth about her mother's life and how it ultimately led t...

Mar 07, 2024•27 min

Introducing Wrongly Accused: The Annette Hewins Story

Emergency services receive a call about a house fire on the Gurnos estate in Merthyr Tydfil. People are reported to be inside the house. The fireman on duty recalls arriving to a blazing scene, entering the house to save lives. News reports reveal that the fire killed a mother, Diane Jones and her infant daughters Shauna and Sarah Jane. Whilst initially unclear if the incident is a tragic accident, reports emerge that the fire was deliberate, and police launched a triple murder inquiry. Three wo...

Feb 27, 2024•4 min

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