POLICE have pledged to review their methods after a man who twice confessed to a killing won his freedom on a technicality yesterday.

Three days of legal arguments at Leeds Crown Court ended when the prosecution entered no evidence against 20-year-old James Payling, of Kirkgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire.

He had denied murdering 58-year-old David William-son near his home at Sutton-on-the-Forest, near York, in March 2001.

Mr Williamson was found lying unconscious by the roadside suffering from severe head injuries. His skull had been fractured and he died several hours later.

But judge Mr Justice Royce yesterday entered a formal not guilty verdict - despite saying there were "quite strong" indications Mr Payling had killed Mr Williamson.

He ruled that a confession made by Mr Payling on January 13 last year was inadmissible because there had been a breach of procedure.

The confession was made under the "cell intervention" technique, where officers spoke to Mr Payling in his police cell about a number of other matters.

During the interview, Mr Payling admitted to killing Mr Williamson - but a caution had not been in place from the start of the conversation, and certain forms were not signed.

A separate confession, made two days later, was also ruled inadmissible because of the flaws under which the first was obtained.

After the case, a police spokesman said: "We note and accept the decision of the court and will review our interview techniques in the light of the decision.

"We emphasise that the officers involved have acted with total integrity."

During the murder inquiry, police carried out hundreds of DNA tests in Sutton-on-the-Forest and Huby.