A MEMBER of the select committee which recommended double jeopardy be revised, has called for the changes to be retrospective.

If the law was altered so suspects could be tried twice for the same crime, Martin Linton, Labour MP for Battersea, would like to see killers like Billy Dunlop convicted of their crime.

Dunlop was arrested in connection with the murder of Billingham pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg, but two juries failed to reach a verdict on the killing.

Nine years after her death, he confessed to the killing but has been unable to stand trial again for murder because of double jeopardy. Instead, he was convicted of committing perjury during his original trial.

The Northern Echo has joined forces with Julie's mother and stepfather, Ann and Charlie Ming, to fight for justice.

They have campaigned to have the double jeopardy rule changed so in serious cases, where new evidence comes to light, a new trial can take place.

They also want the changes to be retrospective so they can finally get justice for Julie.

This has now been openly backed by Mr Linton, who was on the home affairs select committee which, earlier this year, called on the Government to change the law.

He said: "I accept the principle that no one should be punished for doing something that was not an offence at the time, but we are talking about people who knew that they were committing crimes, who lied in court and got away with it.

"To oppose double jeopardy in principle smacks of a legal system that does not want to revisit its own mistake."

However, a survey by The Northern Echo earlier this week revealed many MPs in the region, including William Hague, did not want a retrospective change in the law, signaling possible cross-party opposition to any attempts by the Government to alter the law.

Read more about the Criminal Injustice campaign here.