Key photos 'withheld from Bamber trial'

Bamber has always proclaimed his innocence

Two photographs vital for the defence of Jeremy Bamber were withheld before his original trial, it has been alleged at the Court of Appeal.

The crime-scene pictures would have pointed to the mental state of Bamber's sister at the time of the murders at White House Farm in Essex almost 17 years, the court was told.

Bamber is appealing against conviction for the murders of Sheila and four other members of his adoptive family.

He claims Sheila shot the family before killing herself.

What we are seeking to show in this case overall is that documents which were potentially helpful to the defence were obscured

Michael Turner QC

Bamber, now 41, was again in the dock on Friday as his barrister, Michael Turner QC, outlined his arguments in relation to the two photographs.

He told the court that disclosure of the two photographs could have helped the defence at Bamber's trial to build up a picture of his sister's psychiatric state to the jury.

One photograph showed the words "I hate this place" scrawled in a cupboard in the bedroom of Sheila's six-year-old twin sons, Daniel and Nicholas, who were shot dead at the farmhouse in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex.

Nicknamed Bambi

A second photograph showed an open Bible found on or by Sheila's body.

When police went to the farm in the early hours of 7 August, 1985, they found the bodies of the boys, and that of Sheila, 27, a model who was nicknamed Bambi, as well as Bamber's mother June, 61, and father Nevill, also 61.

Police were alerted by Jeremy Bamber who claimed his father had telephoned him saying Sheila had gone berserk with a gun.

Detectives initially suspected that Sheila, who suffered from mild schizophrenia and who had not been taking her medication, murdered her parents and sons before turning the gun on herself.

Jeremy Bamber, who has always proclaimed his innocence, was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in October 1986.

'Deceits'

He is claiming at the appeal that his conviction was built on a series of "deceits" by police and that certain evidence was deliberately withheld to unfairly bolster the prosecution case.

Mr Turner told Lord Justice Kay, Mr Justice Wright and Mr Justice Henriques on Friday: "What we are seeking to show in this case overall is that documents which were potentially helpful to the defence were obscured as part of the disclosure process."

Referring to the "I hate this place" photograph Mr Turner said the defence would have been able to submit to the jury that the only candidate was Sheila Caffell and that it was "consistent with her mental state at the time".

The appeal is being contested by the Crown.

The hearing was adjourned early until Monday.