Brothers acquitted of Cornwall couple’s murders

Two brothers serving life sentences for the murder of a couple in Cornwall have been acquitted almost 20 years after being jailed.

On 5 November 2003 Carol Fisher, 53, and Graham Fisher, 60, were each shot repeatedly with a shotgun and then beaten with a blunt instrument at their service station near Wadebridge.

Robert and Lee Firkins were convicted in January 2006 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 26 years. He always denied the murders.

In 2023, he was granted a retrial which was due to take place in January, but a judge at Winchester Crown Court recorded a verdict of not guilty on Monday after prosecutors said a key witness could not appear.

The brothers had always denied the murders and there was no physical evidence linking them to the scene.

A bid by the brothers to appeal their conviction was rejected on 17 December 2008.

The case depended largely on the evidence of a prison informant named Witness Z, who, days after a Crimewatch appeal – in which a £10,000 reward was offered – told police that he had heard a brother confess to the murders. Had heard it happened.

In 2023, the brothers’ lawyers at the Court of Appeal presented new expert opinions stating that Witness Z had a lifelong mental disorder, which they said made his evidence unreliable.

A retrial was scheduled to begin in January, but the Criminal Cases Review Commission referred the case to the Court of Appeal, leading to the conviction.

Attorneys representing the Firkins said it may take some time for Lee to be deemed suitable for release, but they are hopeful that Robert will be released from prison soon.

In a statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said, “It is understood that although the original investigation took place 20 years ago, it is possible that new information exists and so anyone wishing to contact us or Crimestoppers should do so as soon as possible.” This should be done soon”.