A PENSIONER who successfully battled to clear her son’s name after he was wrongly jailed has died.

Molly Gee, 93, of Lindley, was well known among music societies, but came to prominence almost five years ago after she doggedly pursued her late son’s case through the courts and won.

Darryl’s conviction for rape was quashed at the Court of Appeal in London in April 2006.

She had pursued the case for seven years in her determination to get justice and spent more than £60,000 battling to clear his name.

Molly was always convinced her son’s wrongful conviction cost him his life and also led to her husband Kenneth’s death.

Darryl, who was disabled, died aged 55 in Armley Prison in Leeds, just a month after his second appeal against his wrongful conviction was turned down.

He died in his sleep on August 27, 2002, with undiagnosed cancer found in his blood.

Darryl’s barrister, Malcolm Swift QC, wrote to Molly and Kenneth when he heard of Darryl’s death.

The letter stated: “I was distressed to learn of the tragic death of your son. Not only have you been terribly badly served by the legal system but you have, as a direct consequence, lost your son.

“It may be some small consolation to you both to know that those of us who met him and knew his case well knew that he was falsely accused and wrongly convicted.’’

Kenneth died seven months after Darryl.

Molly said after her court victory: “That conviction cost both their lives.

“I lost my only son and my husband.’’

Both Darryl and Kenneth are buried at Lindley Parish Church, where all three were regular worshippers and Kenneth was church organist.

Darryl had been born with 11 ribs on one side of his body and 13 on the other: one protruding into his neck.

All were displaced, which resulted in a double curvature of the spine. It was deemed too dangerous to operate on.

As he grew older his disabilities became more obvious. He could not perform any task which required both hands working in co-ordination.

However, Darryl was an accomplished musician, having studied at schools in Huddersfield and Manchester.

He won baritone and bass singing classes at the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival in Huddersfield and was an excellent trumpet, cornet and trombone player.

He went on to became a music teacher in Halifax and Huddersfield.

But the family was plunged into a nightmare at 7.30am on January 13, 1999, when police called at their Lindley home and arrested Darryl on suspicion of a rape dating back to 1989.

He was convicted of rape and indecent assault by a jury’s majority verdict after a week-long trial at Leeds Crown Court in January, 2001.

Molly said during the appeal process: “The trial was an absolute farce. There was no corroborating evidence. It was just her word against Darryl’s.’’

The offences were supposed to have happened at a Huddersfield school when Darryl was a music teacher.

His accuser was aged 10 or 11 at the time the offences were supposed to have happened during 25-minute lessons held in an unlocked room, where anyone could have walked in.

But Molly said of Darryl: “He could not open tin lids and the protruding rib meant he could not turn his neck to the left.

“His sense of balance was also poor and he could easily be pushed over.

“All these disabilities meant there was no way he could have committed the offences he was said to have done.

“It was just not possible.’’

Mr and Mrs Gee met through church when they were 16 and married in 1942. They had just reached their diamond wedding before Kenneth died.

Molly was a founder member of Lindley Amateurs and a former producer with Huddersfield Amateur Operatic Society, where Kenneth was musical director.

Peter Armitage, who has just clocked up 60 years with Marsden Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, worked with Molly on a number of shows in Huddersfield.

He said: “She was possibly my favourite producer. She had enormous integrity and was a super planner.

“I did three shows with her at Venn Street Arts Centre which were the best of my life. They were A Funny thing Happened on The Way To The Forum, Good Companions and Mack and Mabel.

“Molly was brilliant at it. She created a happy cast. We’ve lost a real woman of the theatre.

“Molly often had Ken as the show’s musical director and together they ensured that a production was never out of balance. It’s a great loss.’’

Molly’s funeral will be at 11am on Friday, January 28, at Huddersfield Crematorium.