A MOTHER'S fight for justice for her murdered daughter will be presented to the House of Lords tomorrow as justification for an ancient law to be scrapped.

Lord Brian Mackenzie of Framwellgate, who supports the move, will speak at the second reading of the Criminal Justice Bill.

Following the reading, the Lords will debate the issues in the Bill, including whether double jeopardy - the law that says no one can be tried twice for the same crime - should be overthrown.

Lord Mackenzie will tell the Lords about campaigning Teesside mother Ann Ming who, with the support of The Northern Echo, has been trying to get the self-confessed killer of her daughter, Julie Hogg, jailed.

Labourer Billy Dunlop admitted killing Miss Hogg in 1989 - but only after two juries failed to reach a verdict in his case.

He was later convicted of perjury for lying in his original trial but, because of double jeopardy, he could not face another jury.

Speaking about the need to get rid of double jeopardy Lord Mackenzie said: "We continually hear of the importance of putting right miscarriages of justice. It is no less a miscarriage for an accused to be wrongly acquitted as it is for an accused to be wrongly convicted."

Any changes would have to be made retrospective if Dunlop was to stand trial again for Julie's murder and Lord Mackenzie will call on the Lords to consider Mrs Ming and other families of current victims when deciding if changes should be made.

Mrs Ming is also planning to travel to London in the coming weeks to address the House of Lords before a decision on double jeopardy is made