Justice for Royston Moore

Brief facts of the wrongful conviction of Royston Moore in the murder of Beverley Parkhouse

My name is Royston Moore and I am currently in custody for a murder I did not commit and consequently I am serving a life sentence. The victim of this murder was my girlfriend Beverley Parkhouse which compounds and aggravates my current demise. She was murdered on 4th September 2006, at that time she had been living with her father in the village of Ogmore in south Wales.

At the time if the murder I was living in Nant y moel which is very close to the village of Ogmore. This is a very small population not exceeding 1000 people this is a very close community and it would be fair to say that everyone is aware of what happens within the community.

I had met Beverley Parkhouse in 2005 and after becoming friends our relationship grew. I knew that Beverley was married to Andre Parkhouse and both lived together in Nant y Moel. As time progressed our relationship developed into a complete relationship, which although wrong in principle was unavoidable for we both fell in love.
Beverley had told me on numerous occasions that her marriage to Andre was over she was very unhappy. Indeed Andre was having a relationship (an affair) with a Felicity Blower. To all intents and purposes the marriage was over.

Beverley had told me she loved me and that she wanted to settle down with me. Bev had broached the subject of divorce with Andre. She had also discussed selling the matrimonial home; however Andre had become angry saying "that he wouldn't give her a penny if they ever split up" the couple owned their house outright.

During April 2006 Bev's mother died. The death upset Bev and her father who lived in a 3 bedroom house in Ogmore. This death meant that Bev had to take care of her father, she therefore moved into her father's house and in taking up residence was able to provide Andre with and "acceptable" excuse to separate.

Consequently I began to see Bev more. I would always visit her at her fathers on a Thursday and Sunday evening. I would spend some time there but tried to keep our relationship discreet until an appropriate time.

I met Bev on the night before she was murdered. On this night I never went inside the house for Bev had told me her father was unwell. We spoke to each other in my car outside (and close t) her father's house. Whilst seated in the vehicle we both heard a dog barking frantically, it came from the direction of Bev's fathers house, this concerned Bev fearing the dog would wake her dad, she therefore said goodnight to me and asked me to text her when I returned home. Accordingly I text Bev on my arrival at my house notifying her I had arrived home safely.

On the following day I was telephoned by one of Bev's friends who told me that Bev had died the night before at home in Ogmore (father's house). From what I understand Bevs body was removed from the scene of one of her father's spare bedrooms) in the afternoon following discovery. The room had been damaged by fire. It was initially suspected that Bev had died from inhaling noxious gases (possibly smoke). The death was therefore treated as suspicious, but not at this stage as a murder. Bev was indeed a smoker though I knew her never to smoke in the bedroom. The body was removed to Bridgend Mortuary for the cause of death to be established. The death was obviously treated as suspicious.

I believe the scene of the death was forensically examined. Nothing was found which implicated me as suspect. (No DNA was traced).

Two or three days after the death Bridgend Police gave authority for the murder scene to be redecorated though murder had not at this stage been confirmed) The redecoration was carried out by Andre Parkhouse, some of Rev's cousins and authorised by her dad (and the police).

It is worthy of note at this juncture that Bev had a cousin who worked at Bridgend Police Station as a detective.

I later learned (when served with prosecution case papers) that a full forensic examination of Bev's fathers house revealed only one suspicious mark, a fingerprint of Andre Parkhouse was found on the inside of a window frame in a spare bedroom ( this not being Bevs or her father's bedroom) This could be construed as an entry I exit mark.

Some two weeks following the death I learnt that the deceased had been transferred 1:0 Cardiff mortuary where a further post-mortem revealed that Bev had been murdered by strangulation or suffocation. A murder enquiry was established from Bridgend Police station.

I was arrested early in the enquiry and questioned by detectives primarily because of the affair I had been having with Bev. I was confident that police would exonerate me particularly when they would learn that we had planned to wed. I was notified by the police that if they needed me further they would contact me via my solicitor . I got the impression at this stage that I wasn't a suspect.

Following this, some bizarre events too place. Police were informed that a man had admitted the murder. This man was Stephen Hurley, he was overheard by a barmaid in an Ogmore Pub that he had killed Bev in her father's house. He admitted this whilst having a conversation with a man called Julian.

Julian subsequently went to the police and made a statement about Hurley's admission to murder.

Whilst this important evidence was being investigated Hurley was (coincidently) arrested for a "drugs trafficking offence" charged, appeared at magistrate court and remanded into custody at Cardiff Prison. At this stage Hurley had not been questioned about the Parhouse murder.

Whilst on remand murder squad investigates contacted Cardiff Prison informing the authorities that they were to attend the prison where they interned to arrest and question Stephen Hurley about the murder of Beverley Parkhouse.

Prison officers then (quite wrongly) informed Hurley of this proposed course of action. By all accounts Hurley admitted the murder to some Prison officers and other Cardiff inmates. He was last heard saying "I'm not spending the rest if my life in jail for murder".

Following this statement of admission and intent Hurley hung himself in his cell in Cardiff prison.

This particular course of action leaves a number of "wanting questions" The police should not have forewarned the prison authorities of the serious nature of the allegations for which he was to be questioned and under no circumstances should the prison service have told Hurley of the proposed course of action:
1) Because of Hurley's obvious vulnerable state of mind.
2) Any prior notifications may have rendered Hurley to interfere with the course of the murder investigation.

Following these major developments I would have thought that the murder enquiry would have been "done and dusted" However for reasons best known to Paul Guist the investigating officer, I was arrested a further two times. On the third occasion I was charged with Bev's murder, this was in April 2007 some seven months after the death of Bev.

I was remanded into custody at Cardiff Prison, which given the earlier admissions made by Hurley (and subsequent suicide) was quite remarkable.

Whilst on remand in Cardiff prison I became aware of Hurley's former admissions and his death. I also learnt that the Hurley family were now legally challenging the Prison service for the lack of care provided by HMP, which led to Hurley's death. This legal action is still on going.

Extraneous events occurred whilst I was on remand at Cardiff and as I share these it must be borne in mind that both the South Wales Police and Cardiff Prison officials were culpable in the suicide of Stephen Hurley, who indeed was the early suspect in the murder of Beverley Parkhouse.

During the course of the murder enquiry when no charges had been brought a £20,000 reward had been offered to the public for the conviction of the perpetrator.

Because of poor health I was detained in Cardiff Prison on the hospital wing. Two inmates who were employed as "hospital Orderlies" contacted the murder enquiry to inform them that I had made "cell Confessions" Apparently I had admitted murdering Bev to Glynn Parfitt and Darren George. At no time did I admit this to these men.

In the subsequent trial both these men gave evidence. As well as the proposed reward (£20,000)

1) Parfitt admitted that he was "co-operatlng" with the police in return for a 3 bed roomed local authority house when released from prison. He had previously been living in a caravan.
2) George admitted in cross examination that he made the statement in "payment" for a "D" cat. He duly received a "D" cat move.

Whilst George was in "D" cat, he contravened prison rules. He was found with a mobile phone and then returned to "closed" conditions. There he admitted to another inmate that the statement he had made to police in the "Parkhouse" murder was in fact a fabrication. This relevant witness made a statement to my solicitors.

Just prior to the murder trial I was served with the final papers which the prosecution presented as "non useable material" in the bottom of this box of evidence was the "Julian" statement, which gave an account of Hurley admitting the murder whilst both were in an Ogmore pub. Julian never gave evidence though the defence did try calling him. I have since discovered that Julian, at the time of making the Hurley statements was in fact anticipating drug trafficking charges. Apparently Julian made a deal with police not to give evidence in the murder trial, he was allowed to leave the Bridge End district and has since changes his name. In "payment" Julian did not face any drug charges.

As you may be aware from these "brief facts" I was found guilty in the subsequent trial. You may ask yourself "based on what evidence?"

The "cell confessions" though damaging proved to lack credibility. Neighbours who lived next door to me, and never knew that I had been seeing Bev made prosecution statements. The neighbours suggested that I had spoken to them about Bev's death, that I had admitted to them that I had been in the house on the night of the murder. This was incorrect, and these statements were taken some time after the murder. The evidence the neighbours gave was weak and in cross examination they conceded that the dialogue may have been misconstrued and that I only told them (neighbours) I had seen Bev that evening, and not alluded to where I had seen her. They almost admitted making an assumption or they may have misheard me.
I have always admitted that I was most probably the last "innocent" person to see Bev alive.

The most damaging evidence against me is one of character. I have never maintained to have been an Angel in relationships, indeed I have been married before three times and been divorced the same, but his character however "harmful" does not make me a killer.

Whilst my legal team have supported me admirably the court of Appeal refused me an acquittal or re-trial until such time as I receive further statements supporting my defence.

In the meantime "Julian" is still AWOL and Andre Parkhouse is still in a relationship with Felicity Blower. Ironically the prison service are refusing service of material in relation to the "Hurley Suicide" for they are the subjects of legal proceedings whereby the Hurley family are challenging the duty of care which Stephen Hurley was afforded (or not).

My conviction in my opinion, is a "conviction of convenience" covering up a multitude of sins poor investigation and malpractices (not least corruption).

I have lost the woman I loved and my grief is further compounded by virtue of the fact that due to poor health I have endured a stroke. I have no doubt that this had been brought on by the stress, nevertheless, I am still disabled as well as wrongly convicted for a murder I did not commit. I am the victim of a "gross miscarriage of justice".

I am now pleading for any inmates or witnesses who can help me with relevant evidence to come forward. I was on remand in Cardiff prison between April 2007 and April 2008. I would ask for prisoners who know about this case to contact my solicitors (or me at Long Lartin Prison)

My solicitors are:
Julian Young & Co
118 Seymour Place
London
WI1NP

Telephone: 02077248414
enquiries@jylaw.co.uk

I thank all in anticipation and remind you all to use R.39 correspondence if contacting by post.

I remain a hostage at HMP Long Lartin.

Royston Moore
A7822AG
HMP Long Lartin
Evesham
WR11 8TZ