18: Lily Volpert and Mahmoud Mattan

On the 6th March 1952, Lily Volpert was working in her shop on Bute Street in Cardiff. She owned the shop and frequently opened the shop at night for her customers. Around 8pm William Archbold entered the shop and found Lily in a pool of blood at the door. She had significant injuries to her neck and she was later pronounced dead. The police began an investigation which would lead to the trial of a man named Mahmoud Mattan. This arrest would cause long lasting effects on both the conviction and the justice system in the UK.

Recommended further reading:

https://www.thejusticegap.com/killed-by-injustice-the-legacy-of-mahmoud-mattan/

Important information provided by:

Newspapers at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/hanging_of_british_somali_mahmood_mattan

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/last-innocent-person-hanged-wales-14860984

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/may/14/jamiewilson

https://ccrc.gov.uk/case-statistics/

www.dl-sounds.com

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