POLICE will re-examine the murder of North-East mother Julie Hogg when changes to the double jeopardy law are introduced, it was announced yesterday.

The mother-of-one was the victim of a sex attack at her home in Billingham, Teesside, in November 1989.

Her body was found hidden behind her bath by her mother, Ann Ming, three months later.

Boyfriend Billy Dunlop was tried for the murder of the pizza delivery girl, but acquitted after the jury failed to reach a verdict on two occasions.

He later confessed to the killing, while in jail for an assault on a former girlfriend and her lover, and in 2000 he was jailed for six years for perjury after he gave false evidence under oath during the murder trials.

Mrs Ming, who had always believed in his guilt, has campaigned for 15 years for a change in the 800-year-old law, which does not allow a defendant to be tried for murder twice.

Her crusade, supported by The Northern Echo, MPs, Lords, friends and charities, will come to fruition when the changes to the Criminal Justice Act come into force on Monday.

It is the first time Cleveland Police has said it will reopen the case into Julie's murder.

Mrs Ming said last night: "I really can't believe it. It has been a long fight.

"I am extremely pleased that it has come into force and it is retrospective. That was what we were fighting for.

"I am incredibly grateful to The Northern Echo and all its readers for all the help and support in the campaign.

"I have gone to everybody and anyone who would listen to try to get the law changed and why it should be retrospective. Ours and other families would never have got justice if it hadn't been.

"I wanted to put the human side to it and tell my story. Doors have opened and doors have closed but I carried on regardless.

"There were times when I felt down, but I was never going to give up."

Mrs Ming said she had been advised not to speak about her individual case for fears it would prejudice any future trial, but added that the fight was not over.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said yesterday: "We will re-examine the case in line with the new legislation."

A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The law will change from April 4 to allow, in special circumstances, the retrial of defendants who have previously been acquitted of an offence after trial.

"Any case which fits within those circumstances requires the consent of the chief crown prosecutor, the director of public prosecutions and the Court of Appeal before any retrial can take place.

"Any such cases will be reviewed extremely carefully so that a proper decision can be made as to whether the new law applies to that case.

"It is too early at this stage to comment on any individual case."

Former police chief Lord Brian Mackenzie, who supported the calls for changes to the double jeopardy rule, said the law may have had its place in the 13th Century, but it had to be changed to reflect the modern age.

He said he was the first to raise the issue in 1998 at a superintendents' conference.

Lord Mackenzie said: "To see it come into force brings a sense of great achievement to everyone closely involved, especially for Ann Ming, and thanks should be made to The Northern Echo.

"Clearly, you still need new evidence and it requires authority at the highest level to proceed."