I've been writing to Jeremy Bamber for years, but suddenly the prison has stopped me. Why? | Simon Hattenstone

"A few weeks ago I wrote a lengthy email to Jeremy Bamber, who has been in prison for nearly 41 years after being convicted of murdering five family members. Bamber has always protested his innocence, and the late Guardian prison correspondent Eric Allison and I have frequently written about Bamber and the White House Farm murders in the Guardian over the years. In the email, I asked about aspects of his case as I often do, chatted about a football match I'd been to with my younger daughter at the weekend, told him my older daughter was pregnant, mentioned that I'd been out for lunch with a forensics expert, and said we had an amazing blossom tree across the road that had just come into full bloom."

"They did show him the photograph of the blossom tree, which apparently he appreciated. However, the campaign team said he was not allowed to email a response saying how much he liked the tree because he had also been banned from sending letters and emails to journalists. The campaign group says he is now banned from all forms of correspondence with the media. Bamber has been writing to journalists since he was jailed in 1985. This is how we have learned about many of the inconsistencies, errors and failings in the initial investigation that make many of us believe his conviction is unsafe at the very least."

"So why would HMP Wakefield stop him now? It's hard to believe that it is unconnected to the coverage his case has received over the past couple of years. Many newspapers have examined specific pieces of evidence, concluding that he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice. In February, the Guardian published an article in which Prof Jason Payne-James, a specialist in "

"In the email, I asked about aspects of his case as I often do, chatted about a football match I'd been to with my younger daughter at the weekend, told him my older daughter was pregnant, mentioned that I'd been out for lunch with a forensics expert, and said we had an amazing blossom tree across the road that had just come into full bloom. I also emailed a photo of the blossom tree."

Jeremy Bamber has been imprisoned for nearly 41 years after being convicted of murdering five family members and has continued to protest his innocence. A letter sent to him included personal updates, a photo of a blossom tree, and questions about aspects of his case. His campaign team later said he did not receive the email because HMP Wakefield banned him from receiving mail and email from journalists, though he was shown the blossom tree photograph and appreciated it. The ban also prevented him from emailing a response, and the campaign group says he is now banned from all forms of correspondence with the media. Journalists have previously received Bamber’s letters, which helped reveal inconsistencies, errors, and destroyed evidence, raising concerns about the safety of his conviction.

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