A CONVICTED murderer has launched a bid to clear his name with the support of human rights barrister and North-East MP Vera Baird.

Tony Bottrill was jailed for life in December 2000 for the shotgun murder of drug dealer Bryan Scott.

But the martial arts instructor has always maintained his innocence, saying he had never met Mr Scott, who was found dead at Kirkleatham Showground, near Redcar, Teesside, on March 18, 2000.

Bottrill, 43, is fighting to secure letters and other evidence used to convict him from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before launching an appeal.

At his trial at Teesside Crown Court, Bottrill was accused of making a threat to kill another man, Dean Taylor, in a letter.

The court heard Bottrill, who was in a relationship with Mr Taylor's estranged wife, Amanda, also sent two letters to Cleveland Police saying he tried to blame the shooting on Mr Taylor.

A handwriting expert linked them to Bottrill, and his DNA was on the stamp sent to Mr Taylor.

But Julie Bottrill, 40, of Redcar, believes her brother has been made a scapegoat.

She said: "The stamp was found inside the envelope and had the DNA of two people on. It is claimed the stamp fell off, but how can a stamp fall off?

"We need the letters back so we can get them independently analysed by a handwriting expert in London before we can launch an appeal.

"I do believe he is innocent. We are determined to fight to clear his name."

Ms Baird, MP for Redcar and Cleveland, will meet Giles Young, the Public Defender of Middlesbrough - a state-funded lawyer - on April 27, to discuss the Bottrill case.

They plan to make an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission with the aim of securing the letters and other material.

"The evidence against him did look thin and Mr Bottrill seems to be having a great deal of difficulty getting some information from the Crown Prosecution Service," said Ms Baird, a specialist in human rights and criminal law.

"It is material which, in my view, is essential if we are to consider an appeal."

A spokesman for Cleveland CPS said that, in principle, it and the police were happy for the letters to be subjected to further analysis.

He added: "But only if there's good reason to do so, and Mr Bottrill's solicitors have been asked to provide such reasons for their request. A reply is awaited.