Peter Sullivan faces 'terrifying risk' after wrongfully spending 38 years in jail for murder

Experts have warned that exonerated could be "at risk" as he moves forward with the next chapter of his life.

For 38 years, Peter languished behind the bars of a category A prison, after being wrongly convicted of the savage murder of florist and part-time barmaid, The 21-year-old, remembered by loved ones as "vivacious" and "bubbly, was after leaving her place of work in Bebington, Merseyside, in August 1986.

Peter, then 30, was convicted the following November, with bite marks found on Diane's body initially believed to match his. These brutal injuries earned him nicknames such as

READ MORE:

Now, thanks to new DNA evidence, Peter's conviction has finally been quashed, and he will now begin to reintegrate into society as a free man at 68. In a statement released by lawyer Sarah Myatt, Peter remarked that he was neither "angry" nor "bitter", asserting: "I am simply anxious to return to my loved ones and family as I’ve got to make the most of what is left of the existence I am granted in this ."

However, the now pensioner may struggle to re-establish himself in the outside world, with criminologist Alex Iszatt cautioning that he could be at "serious risk of being taken advantage of".

'Vulnerable' return to adult life

Former crime scene investigator Iszatt told the : "Peter Sullivan was 30 when he was arrested — not young, but with no qualifications, no career, and nothing to suggest he had much direction. He was described as having low intellect, and it's likely he’d already found adult life overwhelming.

"People like him — passive, uncertain, eager to please — often struggle to assert themselves in the real world. That kind of personality doesn’t just make someone vulnerable to a false confession; it makes them vulnerable full stop."

She continued: "He confessed to the murder, then retracted — behaviour typical of someone frightened or confused, someone who’s trying to give the police the answer they want.

"That same instinct to appease authority figures doesn’t disappear once the prison gates open. On the outside, it can make someone like Sullivan easy to exploit. He may say yes when he doesn’t understand, go along with people he shouldn’t trust; he is at serious risk of being taken advantage of."

Painful loss

Although Peter remains "anxious" to make the most of the remainder of his life, he has missed out on decades of establishing relationships and building happy memories with loved ones. This may be a very upsetting fact to come to terms with, as Dr Naomi Murphy, D. Clin. Psych, has noted, reflecting that there may be "a very painful journey to recovery" ahead.

According to Dr Murphy, who works as a consultant clinical and forensic psychologist, "Those who spend lengthy periods in prison, especially our child-rearing decades in our 20s-40s, also end up dealing with huge amounts of grief and loss. Loving relationships with partners protect our mental and physical health.

"Mr Sullivan has been deprived of that and probably lost any opportunity to become a father or grandparent. He’s had limited opportunity to hang out with loved ones, get to know any nieces or nephews, and any friendships may have withered.

"Strong emotions like anger, shame, sadness, aloneness and despair take a toll on our physical health. People in prison die earlier and have worse health outcomes than those living in the community. Can financial compensation really compensate for the lost opportunities he's had in life?"

On the plus side, however, Dr Murphy noted that Peter is "fortunate" in that he has a "family who love him and who have stood by him" throughout his ordeal. She added: "This will stand him in better stead than someone being released into the world with no relationships with others.

"There was a dignity in his response to his liberation and his family's thoughts for the family of the woman who was murdered, suggesting an ability to process some of the pain he will need to wade through to ensure he is psychologically released and not just physically released from his experience."

Psychological turmoil

Although Peter has been released from the shadow of his wrongful conviction, the weight of his ordeal may well continue to loom large and could result in mental health struggles.

Dr Murphy explained: "Being incarcerated is a life-changing experience. Even those who are guilty run the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence. Prisons can be very brutal, frightening places to be. There is a distinct pecking order in prison and those who have raped or killed women come very low down that hierarchy. In fact, they are so low down that they become scapegoated by other prisoners who will often target them for verbal abuse and physical violence.

"The more notoriety and public attention that an individual gets, the more they have the potential to amplify that risk and make them an easy target. Peter Sullivan, convicted of a brutal crime and branded 'the Wolfman' has probably felt pretty terrified for the last 38 years.

"PTSD leaves those who experience it hyper-sensitive to threat within their environment and experiencing intrusive reminders about danger and struggling to cope with overwhelming emotions like fear, sadness and shame. Many use destructive strategies to suppress these overwhelming emotions and thoughts, so PTSD can leave people at risk for misusing drink or drugs or engaging in other compulsive behaviours."

Strange new world

Peter will, of course, be stepping out into a completely different world from the one he left behind in the '80s, with a number of technological and social developments to contend with.

As Ms Izsatt noted: "The world Sullivan left behind in the mid-1980s doesn’t resemble the one he’s stepping into. Smartphones, contactless payments, online banking, digital forms — even basic daily tasks now rely on that didn’t exist when he was last free.

"For someone with limited intellectual ability, this shift isn’t just inconvenient — it’s alienating. Technology creates another layer of dependency, leaving him even more vulnerable to confusion, exploitation, or complete withdrawal."

This will be made even more difficult when you compare this with the strict routines of prison life. She went on: "Inside, structure is all he’s known; every decision was made for him, even basic tasks. That can make prison feel oddly safe, and can often lead to reoffending as that desire drives some to return to something familiar.

"The outside world — with its responsibilities, pace, and lack of routine — can be more terrifying than prison for someone institutionalised for that long."

Compensation fee

It's now been reported that Peter could receive up to £1 million in compensation, in line with the Ministry of Justice's (Moj) compensation scheme.

Under this framework, those whose convictions have been overturned by the courts may apply for compensation. The maximum amount payable is £1 million in cases where the applicant has served at least 10 years in prison.

However, as explained by Shelby Thompson, a prison release officer with Felons' Assistance, Peter will need plenty of post-prison support in order to restructure his life.

Ms Thompson said: "In the UK, those released after a miscarriage of justice don't automatically receive the same level of post-prison support as someone released on licence. That's a significant gap. While probation services may still get involved in a safeguarding capacity, there is no formal structure in place to ensure Sullivan has access to housing, mental health care, or employment support unless this is arranged separately.

"If Sullivan is indeed set to receive £1 million in compensation, this would fall under the miscarriage of justice compensation scheme administered by the Ministry of Justice.

"The sum itself suggests a lengthy and damaging period in custody. But compensation, while important, does not equal rehabilitation. It doesn’t erase the psychological toll, the loss of years, or the stigma that can persist long after the legal record is corrected."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: