Lying police officer’s friendship with juror wrecked murder trial and saw three killers’ convictions thrown out at cost of £80,000 to taxpayers

• Lynford Brewster, 29, was killed in June 2016 and three men were convicted 
• An officer in the case did not declare her son was in a relationship with a juror 
• Detective Constable Rebecca Bryant sent juror Lauren Jones texts to keep quiet
• The three killers had their convictions quashed after the secret was discovered 
• Dwayne Edgar, Jake Whelan and Robert Lainsbury convicted again at a fresh trial

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Three murderers had their convictions quashed sparking a costly retrial after a police officer failed to disclose she knew one of the jurors.

Dwayne Edgar, 31, Jake Whelan, 26, and Robert Lainsbury, 25, were convicted in December 2016 of the ‘cold-blooded’ killing of 29-year-old Lynford Brewster in Cardiff earlier that year – and sentenced to life in prison. 

But all three had their convictions quashed after the relationship between the detective and juror was later discovered.  

Detective Constable Rebecca Bryant – a family liaison officer in the case – did not declare that her son’s girlfriend Lauren Jones was sitting on the jury at trial.

Detective Constable Rebecca Bryant – a family liaison officer – did not declare that her son was in a relationship with a juror

Her lies cost the taxpayer at least £80,000 – because a retrial into the killers was ordered by the Court of Appeal.  

A damning judgement was kept hidden by reporting restrictions, but can now be revealed after the three killers were convicted for a second time after a seven-week trial at Bristol Crown Court which ended this week. 

Judges said experienced police officer DC Bryant and nursery teaching assistant Ms Jones ‘connived’ together in a ‘shocking state of affairs’.

They added that it was ‘crystal clear that this juror should never have sat on this trial’ and as such the safety of the convictions ‘is totally undermined’.

‘The folly of the juror and the police officer have wasted vast amounts of time and cost the public a great deal of money,’ judges said. 

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‘Moreover, the agony for the victim’s family is inevitably prolonged. We very much regret that fact.’ 

The killers will be sentenced later this month for the murder of Mr Brewster in Cardiff in June 2016.

Father-of-three Mr Brewster was stabbed to death with a hunting knife in ‘callous, cold-blooded’ killing in broad daylight during a row with drugs dealer Whelan. 

Det Con Bryant, 46, had sent text messages to juror Lauren Jones to keep quiet about knowing each other ahead of the trial.

One text read: ‘Don’t tell any of them who u r to me tho in case they think I’ve told u about it although u know I haven’t xxx..’

Dwayne Edgar, left, and Jake Whelan, right, were convicted of murdering Lynford Brewster, but had their conviction quashed after the secret came to light

The three killers were convicted for a second time after a seven-week trial at Bristol Crown Court (pictured: Robert Lainsbury, the third killer)

Bryant sat with Mr Brewster’s family in the courtroom as Miss Jones was just yards away on the jury bench at Cardiff Crown Court. 

A Court of Appeal judgement said: ‘Several weeks after the trial an appellant’s solicitor received information that a police officer providing family liaison, Detective Constable Bryant, who had attended court during the trial to provide support to the deceased’s family, had a close relationship with a member of the jury.

‘That officer’s son was in a long-term relationship with the juror.

‘There was recovered from the officer’s phone a series of texts which the pair had exchanged at that time which are highly material in this appeal.

‘It is clear that the officer initially lied about having any relationship with Ms Jones, although she subsequently admitted contacts with her in interview.’

The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions and Edgar, Whelan and Lainsbury were ordered to have a retrial.

Pictured: Lynford Brewster, who was killed in 2016

The texts from Bryant were uncovered after an investigation was launched by the CPS.

The messages from the South Wales Police detective read: ‘The Murder trial is put back til 1st. Not that that matters cos they’ll hold u til then if they need to.

‘Remember what I sed though, as long as you don’t know any of the witnesses that’s fine…. I won’t be there hardly and I’m not a witness anyway so that ok u don’t need to worry bout that.

‘Don’t tell any of them who u r to me tho in case they think I’ve told u about it although u know I haven’t xxx.’

One message also offered Miss Jones a lift from court: ‘If ur on the murder ul be finished same time as me most days u can have a lift to mine afterwards if u wanted x.’

Jones replied, saying: ‘Fab thanks! The bus is a nightmare x.’

The probe found Miss Jones also worked with victim Mr Brewster’s sister.

The judgement said: ‘She said nothing about her connection to the sister of the deceased. At one point she did say something to the effect that she was a teacher at the school but went no further than that. She appears to have followed the advice given in the first text mentioned.

‘The police officer also failed to say anything to anybody although she was aware that the juror was sitting on the murder trial.’

South Wales Police said Detective Constable Bryant had not committed any criminal offences but she would be investigated by the force’s internal disciplinary body.

Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said: ‘When issues regarding the original trial came to light, the matter was voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and has been investigated by the South Wales Police Professional Standards Department.

‘Our investigation, which has also been subject of independent review, has not found any evidence that the officer intended to undermine the criminal justice process, and following a formal submission to the Crown Prosecution Service the matter will now be dealt with through South Wales Police disciplinary processes.

‘Our thoughts remain with the family of Mr Brewster who we have continued to support throughout this difficult time.’ 

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