A MAN suspected of killing a mother and hiding her body behind a bath panel could be the first person to be tried under the new double jeopardy laws.

Crown prosecutors yesterday confirmed that they have passed a file on the murder of Julie Hogg, 22, in 1989 to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, QC. The move means that Billy Dunlop — previously cleared of Ms Hogg’s murder — could be the first suspect acquitted by a jury to be retried on the same charge.

Dunlop, 42, of Billingham, Teesside, has already been tried twice for the murder, at Newcastle Crown Court in 1991. At the first trial the jury failed to reach a verdict and at the second he was acquitted. But he was jailed for six years for perjury in 2000 after telling a prison inmate that he had murdered Julie.

In April changes to the 800-year-old “double jeopardy” law, which prevented someone who had been acquitted by a jury being tried again on the same charge, opened the door for Cleveland Police to revisit the case. The change means that Dunlop could again be charged with the murder and is progress for Ms Hogg’s mother, Ann Ming, who battled to have the law changed.

The Cleveland Crown Prosecution Service said: “The Director has been asked to consider giving his personal written consent (as required under section 76(1)(b) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003) to allow the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Cleveland CPS, Martin Goldman, to apply to the Court of Appeal to quash the acquittal of William Vincent Dunlop so allowing him to be re-tried for the murder of Julie Hogg.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Braithwaite, head of Cleveland Police’s crime and operations unit, said: “We are in regular discussions with senior representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service and will await the outcome of the Director of Public Prosecution’s deliberations with interest.”

Julie Hogg’s body was found by her mother at her home in Billingham in 1990, 80 days after she went missing.

PATH TO JUSTICE

November 1989: Julie Hogg disappears

February 1990: Ann Ming finds her daughter’s body behind bath panelling

May 1991: Jury fails to reach verdict, Dunlop freed

October 1991: Second jury fails to convict

November 1993: Ms Ming wins £20,000 from Cleveland Police for the bungled investigation

August 1997: Dunlop gets seven years for attacking his former girlfriend

April 2000: Dunlop gets six years for perjury after boasting of Ms Hogg’s murder to a prison inmate

January 2001: The Law Commission reviews double jeopardy

July 2002: Double jeopardy change confirmed as retrospective

May 2003: MPs vote to allow CPS to re-open serious criminal cases if new evidence emerges

April 2005: Cleveland Police confirm new inquiry

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