The journalist, author and broadcaster Duncan Campbell, who has died aged 80 from lymphoma, was the most respected crime correspondent of his generation. The determined, scrupulously fair way he pursued evidence of wrongdoing, including miscarriages of justice by the police and prosecuting authorities, was widely admired. It reflected a tolerance and respect for people from all sorts of backgrounds, qualities enriched by an extraordinary life of travel and experiences that gave him rare insights into human behaviour, prejudices and beliefs.
The world of crime never ceased to fascinate him. He earned the trust of criminals and senior police officers alike, establishing an astonishing network of contacts. The former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger described how Duncan “moved effortlessly between the lawyers, the cops and the villains. When he threw parties a great game was to try and gauge which was which. A retired bank robber would be rubbing shoulders with a judge next door to a chief constable. I can’t think of any other crime reporter who could bring that off.”
