Fourth member of Stockwell Six, missing for nearly 50 years, is found overseas

A fourth member of the Stockwell Six who had not been found, after three of them were cleared in the High Court, has been found overseas.

Texo Johnson’s sister saw the publicity surrounding the case, including the South London Press interview with one of the three, Cleveland Davidson.

This week he said the trial was so long ago he had put it to the back of his mind – but he is relieved to clear his name.

Courtney Harriot, Paul Green and Cleveland, together with three friends – all aged between 17 and 20 – were arrested while travelling on the London Underground from Stockwell station in February 1972.

Now the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has managed to trace a missing member of the Stockwell Six after launching a recent appeal to find two more men they believe were also wrongly convicted.

The sister of Texo Johnson saw the news coverage and got in touch to say her brother was now living overseas.

The plea from the CCRC came after three more cases were quashed, related to the wrongful convictions of several men under DS Derek Ridgewell – who was also at the heart of the cases against the Oval Four and the Clapham Two – all convicted on his watch.

DS Ridgewell was part of the anti-mugging squad with British Transport Police, and later found to have wrongly accused innocent men of attempting to steal at various London underground stations 50 years ago.

Ridgewell died in prison in 1983 convicted of mailbag theft – the very offence some of his victims had been found guilty of. Most of them, though, had been attacked on Tube stations then fitted up for muggings and then of attacking officers who apprehended them.

Mr Johnson said: “It happened such a long time ago, so to be honest, I’d put it to the back of my mind. I’m still taking it all in and it’s quite overwhelming – but I’m pleased to have the same opportunity to finally clear my name.”

Chairman of the CCRC, Helen Pitcher OBE said they were glad to have located Mr Johnson: “We’d tried a number of ways in the past to try and find Mr Johnson, which is why we were delighted when his sister called and put us in touch with him. It was a good day for us all.”

Mr Johnson has since submitted his application to the CCRC and advising him through that process.