March for murder convict

Stephen Downing with his parents during weekend leave

Supporters of Stephen Downing - a convicted killer who has spent 27 years in jail protesting his innocence - have attended a march and rally.

More than 80 people took part in Saturday's event in Bakewell, Derbyshire.

And in the past three weeks, almost 12,000 people have signed a petition calling for the 44-year-old's release.

In 1973, Downing discovered Wendy Sewell's body covered in blood in a cemetery where he worked as a groundsman in the town.

Hours later, Downing, who was 17 at the time but had the reading age of an 11-year-old, confessed to beating Mrs Sewell to death.

Wendy Sewell was murdered in a cemetery

He was charged with murdering the 32-year-old typist when she died in hospital without revealing who had attacked her.

Police had questioned him for 16 hours without a lawyer present and later said the statement was written for him.

At Downing's trial the jury, who were unaware he had learning difficulties, took just one hour to reach a unanimous guilty verdict.

But campaigners say the statement he signed contains numerous inaccuracies.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission referred Downing's case to the Appeal Court in November 2000.

But in December, a High Court judge ruled to postpone his appeal until this year, and refused to release him on bail until the case was heard.

Downing remains in Littlehey Prison in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

He was eligible for parole 10 years ago but has remained in jail because he continues to deny any part in Mrs Sewell's murder.

The campaign to free Downing has been led since 1994 by the editor of the Matlock Mercury, Don Hale.

Mr Hale said the rally had been "a tremendous show of strength in support of Stephen and his cause".

"There were people from all over the country as well as lots of locals," he said.

"There were even a couple of people from Holland who came over because they had heard about it on their television."

Mr Hale said the campaigners had collected more than 100 extra signatures on their petition, which they plan to hand in to Downing Street next week.