Play reading draws attention to Hoxton man Sam Hallam’s case

A rehearsed reading of a play about the Sam Hallam case will be held next month to draw attention to the case.

The play written by Tess Berry-Hart uses verbatim speech from Hoxton man Sam Hallam’s trial for murder comments at police stations or prison visits.

It is called Someone to Blame, a comment made at the trial by one of the prosecution witnesses and is directed by David Mercatali who most recently directed Philip Ridley’s Moonfleece at the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green.

Actor Sean Verey will take the role of Sam Hallam.

The play reading on Friday February 4 is the latest stage in a long-running campaign by the friends of Sam Hallam who believe he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

They say there is no forensic evidence linking him to the murder and he was wrongly identified as being at the murder scene.

Sam Hallam, now 23, was jailed for a minimum of 12 years in October 2005, a year after the murder of trainee chef Essayas Hassahun. in Old Street. Co-defendant Bullabek Ringbiong was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years.

A dossier of new evidence was handed in to the Criminal Cases Review Commission three years ago and Thames Valley Police have re-investigated the case. The CCRC is expected to make a decision whether to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal sometime this spring.

The reading at a theatre in Battersea is aimed at theatre professionals.

Campaign organiser Paul May said he hoped a theatre would mount a full production of the play later in the year to help keep the case in the public eye.

Anyone interested in attending should email the campaign at response@samhallam.com