CLEVELAND police last night repeated their desire to see the killer of pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg jailed - as momentous changes to the so-called double jeopardy law moved a step closer.

As reported in The Northern Echo, the Criminal Justice Bill, which aims to scrap the law that says no one can be tried twice for the same crime, has cleared The House of Lords.

It will now move on to the Commons for final approval before Royal Assent is received. The law change, which will be retrospective, could lead to the re-opening of the murder case involving Billingham-born Miss Hogg, 22.

Labourer Billy Dunlop admitted killing her in 1989, but only after he had been acquitted when two juries failed to reach a verdict in the case.

He was later convicted of perjury for lying in his original trial, but as the law stands, he cannot be retried for murder.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "We have been monitoring developments and, once the law is finalised, we will be looking at the case again with a view to bringing Billy Dunlop to trial for Julie's murder."

Julie's mother, Ann Ming, and The Northern Echo have long campaigned for the double jeopardy law to be scrapped.

A bid in the House of Lords to make the law change non-retrospective and so shield killers was defeated on Thursday night.

Stockton North MP Frank Cook said such a move would have been "empty and vacuous".

He said he hoped Royal Assent would be given before the Queen's Speech later this month, although the change to the law would not be effective immediately.

He said: "This is great news for Ann, who has never tired in her fight for justice."

Mrs Ming said: "I am in a state of shock because we are getting so close to what we have been fighting for."