NEW evidence could clear two men convicted of a North-East gangland killing 37 years ago.

The information is contained in statements taken at the time of the murder but not disclosed by police during the trial of Michael Luvaglio and Dennis Stafford.

Their colleague, Angus Sibbet, was found shot dead in the back of his Jaguar by miners walking to work in a County Durham village in 1967.

Mr Luvaglio and Mr Stafford were found guilty of Mr Sibbet's murder the following year and jailed for life, but supporters claim it is a miscarriage of justice.

The Northern Echo has obtained details of the evidence that casts serious doubt on the convictions.

Mr Luvaglio and Mr Stafford maintained they were not guilty, had alibis, and that police suppressed discrepancies in the prosecution case. Now, Mr Luvaglio is hoping to take his fight to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), with the help of solicitor Christopher Murray and QC David Perry.

He is due to meet the lawyers on Thursday after receiving an encouraging response from politicians he wrote to at the start of the year, asking for support.

More than 100 MPs replied to Mr Luvaglio, including former Conservative minister Michael Portillo, who said: "I should like to offer support from my office in your efforts to clear your name.

"I have looked at your case and sympathise with the anguish you must have suffered over the years."

The CCRC could hear 66-year-old Mr Luvaglio's case within a year if it is reopened.

The prosecution case hinged on a period of time - between 45 minutes and an hour - for which Mr Luvaglio and Mr Stafford did not have an alibi; as well as damage to Mr Sibbet's car and the vehicle the other two were driving.

The fresh evidence casts doubt on the police account of the time of the killing and how badly the cars were damaged in a supposed collision near the scene.

There were also 164 statements which undermined or contradicted the prosecution case, which were withheld from the defence and not heard during the trial.

Some were from miners who walked past Mr Sibbet's Mark 10 Jaguar at South Hetton, after the time police said he was killed, but who did not see the body.

A statement was also withheld from a pit first-aider who examined the body more than five hours after the time police said Mr Sibbet had been shot.

He described the corpse as "warm", despite sub-zero temperatures.

Mr Murray, of Kingsley Napley, said: "This all took place at a time when the safeguards we now have in place did not exist.

"This case dates back to a time before the introduction of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, before there were rules governing the disclosure, and when the Court of Appeal was very reluctant to admit that the criminal justice system could make mistakes.

"I have no doubt that if this case were presented for appeal today, the conviction would not stand."

The killing, known as the One-Armed Bandit Murder, is said to have inspired the gangster film Get Carter, starring Michael Caine.

Mr Luvaglio and Mr Stafford worked for Mr Luvaglio's brother, Vince Landa, in his gaming machine empire. Mr Sibbet, 33, was a cash collector for the company.

The police were unable to establish a motive for the murder, but it was suggested Mr Sibbet was skimming off takings.

The defence team is aware that a witness has come forward and claims he drove the killer - neither Mr Luvaglio nor Mr Stafford - from the scene, but is afraid to make a statement to police.