Patrick Maguire

Published: 4 May, 2012
by TOM FOOT

AN exhibition in support of Sam Hallam goes on display in Hoxton this Saturday and Sunday, writes Tom Foot.

The 24-year-old is due to appear at the Court of Appeal later this month after seven years in prison for an Islington murder he maintains he did not commit.

The drawings are by Patrick Maguire, the youngest of the “Maguire Seven”, who were wrongly imprisoned for making bombs that blew up a pub in Guildford in the 1970s, who is now an artist.

Mr Maguire has been campaigning to raise awareness about Sam Hallam and has welcomed a decision last year by the Criminal Case Review Commission to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.

He introduced a prison number-style “barcode” theme into his charcoal and pencil images.

He said: “I’m doing it to highlight the case of Sam Hallam. We’re hoping he’ll be walking out and I’ll be there waiting for him. I won’t be going in. I want to see him walk out. I won’t go into the court. It’s one thing witnessing people coming out but when you’ve been through it yourself, it’s different.”

The exhibition is at the St John Community Hall, “The Green Hut”, New North Road, from 11am-3pm.