John Douglas Robinson: Murder conviction in 2008 Woodstock death overturned Thursday by the Court of Appeal

1 London

London News & Search

1 News - 1 eMovies - 1 eMusic - 1 eBooks - 1 Search

The Ontario Court of Appeal has quashed the first-degree murder conviction of former Woodstock resident John Robinson and ordered a new trial on a charge of second-degree murder in the 2008 death of Clifford Fair.

Robinson, who had been convicted of murdering and dismembering fellow Woodstock resident Clifford Fair, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

But according to the Ontario Court of Appeal in documents released Thursday, the conviction by a jury was “unreasonable.”

“There are errors in the jury instruction that will require a new trial on the charge of second-degree murder,” the findings read.

Fair’s mother Pauline Fair, who attended the appeal hearing on May 11, said she and Clifford’s son A.J. still grieve his loss and the fact he will never get a chance to be a true father to his son.

“They say time heals. It does not. I still feel empty and I’m always going to feel that way forever,” she said in January.

Sentinel.review@postmedia.com