In July 1997 Colin was arrested and again charged, this time with killing two RUC officers. In a blatant example of arbitrary arrest and detention, the RUC deliberately ignored evidence which established Colin's innocence. There were a dozen witnesses who could place him in the Kilwilke estate, more than a mile away, at the time of the shooting.
A concerted campaign was mounted demanding his release, and a number of British MPs, Irish TDs as well as numerous human rights organisations in Ireland, Britain, the US and Europe supported the campaign.
Many correctly raised questions regarding the entire process of victimisation which Colin had been subject to by the state, calling it a clear abuse of process and urging his immediate release.
Colin was held for several months before the charges were dropped.
Protesters calling for Colin's release
That injustice only ended when Colin was freed for the second time in thirteen months after a crown lawyer was forced to concede that the only evidence against him was the alleged evidence of a psychologically unstable woman, Witness D, who was pressurised by the RUC into falsely identifying him.
Another woman, who was an alibi witness for the defense, was also pressurised by two detectives while she was on holiday in Scotland, who tried to intimidate her into changing her statement.
Despite twelve witnesses contradicting Witness D, and a member of her own family describing her as unreliable, the RUC had persisted in their case against Colin.
Colin's lawyer, Rosemary Nelson, who was later murdered in an act of state collusion in 1999 said:
"This matter has caused the greatest concern in legal circles, amongst international civil rights bodies and public representatives."
Gareth Pierce, an English lawyer who campaigned for wrongly accused Irish prisoners in British jails said:
"Every ingredient which has led to wrongful convictions in the past seems to be present in his case."
Gareth Pierce