BBC Legal Affairs Correspondent Joshua Rozenberg explains Hindley's case

The Independent newspaper suggests she is working on a legal strategy which could persuade the Court of Appeal that the time has come for her release.

The paper says Hindley will present evidence showing that she only took part in the murders because she was sadistically abused by Brady.

She claims he threatened to kill her mother, grandmother and younger sister.

Jack Straw has said life for Hindley should mean life

However the BBC's Legal Affairs Correspondent, Joshua Rozenberg, says an early release is unlikely, even if she wins the case, which is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal later in the year.

Hindley maintains that she should be released since a previous Home Secretary recommended that she serve at least 30 years of her life sentence, something which she has now done.

Successive Home Secretaries have refused to sanction any release and the current incumbent Jack Straw has also announced that she will serve a full life sentence.

Last year the Lord Chief Justice dismissed her argument that successive Secretaries of State including Mr Straw had acted unlawfully by refusing her release.

Evidence may not be relevant

BBC Legal Affairs Correspondent Joshua Rozenberg reports

Our correspondent says that since this is not an appeal against her conviction but against the Home Secretary's decision, this evidence may not be considered as relevant.

He says Hindley may argue that Mr Straw should have given more reasons for his decision, and that evidence of Brady's abuse should have been taken into account by the Home Secretary.