Post office killer Robin Garbutt 'let down' by justice system

Robin Garbutt was found guilty of killing wife Diana after her body was found in the living quarters above their post office in Melsonby, North Yorkshire, in 2010. Robin told the police that armed robbers had held her hostage and killed her.

Jane Metcalfe, who knows Garbutt from when he lived in York, spoke at a vigil at the Royal Courts of Justice in London attended by more than 100 people.

She also spoke to a big crowd at the Innovation of Justice conference at the University of Law in the city.

At the vigil, she said: “Tragically, when Robin was at his most vulnerable and in the most pain and needed support and help more than anything in the world following the shocking death of his beloved wife, a system that should have supported him and his family and one that we hoped would find Diana`s killers, decided they had their man in Robin Garbutt.

“In circumstantial evidence alone they arrested him. At every turn, Robin Garbutt and his family have been let down by the criminal justice system.”

Mrs Garbutt, 40, was found dead in the living quarters of the village shop and post office in Melsonby, on March 23, 2010.

Police and paramedics initially responded to reports of an armed robbery.

Mrs Garbutt had been beaten about the head with a metal bar as she lay in bed in an upstairs bedroom.

In the days after the alleged raid, detectives appealed for help to catch a man wearing a balaclava and armed with a gun.

However, her husband was arrested on suspicion of murder three weeks later.

During the four-week trial, the jury heard how the defendant had debts of £30,000 on six credit cards.

His wife had relationships with three other men, had signed up to a dating site and had discussed moving out.

In 2012, the subpostmaster lost an appeal against his conviction.