Sam Hallam freed after miscarriage of justice: 'I haven't crossed a road or licked an envelope in years' By now Sam will have crossed his first road in eight years having finally been freed following a review of his case by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. They were prompted into action by the relentless campaigning of Sam's family, particularly his mother Wendy Cohen and Paul May, a man who previously led campaigns for the Birmingham Six and Bridgewater Four. They lobbied and pressured the authorities and without their help it is likely Sam would still be in prison. Wendy was particularly impressive. Six times a month - the maximum she was allowed - she would visit her son in prison. Once a month she would hold a campaign group meeting to talk about the case. Neighbours in Hoxton, east London, also supported the case planning fundraising events in large numbers even five years after Sam had been sentenced. On the visit I accompanied her on Wendy went through a range of emotions. Excited as we took the train to see her son. Nervous in the waiting room as we counted the minutes to be allowed inside. And overjoyed when she was finally allowed to join her son at the small visiting table. She spent most of the time updating him on family matters, telling him what his brothers and sisters had been doing (his sister had given up her chance to visit so I could attend) and repeatedly asking if he was doing ok in prison. When it came time to leave I felt like an intruder as she emotionally embraced her son before he returned to his cell and she went home. During the journey back to London she was upset. She later told me how at one point she had found it too difficult to visit Sam because she couldn't bear the thought of leaving when the two hours were up. Sam was remarkably calm. Rather than be angry at a decision which would ultimately rob him of almost a decade of his life, he focused instead on the campaign and his belief that he would be freed. He admitted he got angry if he thought about the case too much so he simply tried not to. Instead he read about other miscarriage of justice cases which had been overturned to give himself hope. His mum was angry. She was angry at a witness who had named Sam as the killer despite later admitting that she was not sure it was him. And she was angry at the authorities who had arrested and convicted her son. He was in prison on his 18th birthday, his 21st and missed his grandmother's funeral - something which devastated his mother. "I have no faith in the system," she said. I do not allow myself to say 'when' Sam is coming out, I only say 'if'. Now his mother can finally say when. Sam was released today. On Thursday, at last, he will have his conviction formally overturned.