ONE of two men convicted of the notorious "one armed bandit" killing has put up a reward in a deathbed bid to try to clear his name.

Michael Luvaglio has offered 10,000 to anyone offering information to help clear him of the 1967 shooting of Angus Sibbett.

The gaming machine cash collector's bullet-ridden body was found in the back of his e-Type Jaguar under Pesspool Bridge, South Hetton, County Durham, in January 1967.

Sibbett, who worked in the lucrative fruit machine business, was believed to have been killed for 'skimming' money off the takings.

Luvaglio and business associate Dennis Stafford were arrested the following day and were convicted of the killing after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court two months later.

They spent 12 years behind bars, but since their release in 1979 on life licence, have continued to protest their innocence, claiming they were framed.

But two appeals to the Court of Appeal, one to the House of Lords and an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission have all proved unsuccessful, while they continue to pursue the right to take the case to the European Court.

As 74-year-old Luvaglio's health continues to deteriorate he made his 10,000 reward offer from his bed in a London hospital where he was been treated since suffering severe heart problems in October.

Luvaglio, now living in London: "Every day I open my eyes and thank God I'm still here to fight my conviction.

"I don't want to die a convicted murderer.

"The heart's still beating, but it would be beating better if I could prove my innocence.

"I want to clear my name. There are 154 statements that the jury never heard, fingerprints were found that weren't mine, and there was blood in the car that didn't belong to me.

"I want to put pressure on people so that an inquiry can take place to look into the handling of the case.

"I am not a murderer."

He has suffered five heart attacks in recent years and now has a broken leg and dislocated shoulder following a fall.

When Luvaglio was admitted to hospital his former associate, Stafford, now 78 and living at Stanhope Castle, Weardale, voiced support for Luvaglio's bid to clear his name.

He said: "He has congenital heart disease which has progressed.

"He's completely innocent. This has been going on and on. It was a miscarriage of justice."