Jenkins given leave to appeal

Jenkins was jailed in 1998 for the murder of his foster daughter

A man jailed for the murder of his foster daughter has been given leave to launch a second appeal against his conviction.

Lawyers for Sion Jenkins said the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) had referred his murder conviction to the Court of Appeal.

Jenkins was convicted at Lewes Crown Court in 1998 of killing his foster daughter, Billie-Jo Jenkins, in February 1997.

An appeal in 1999 was dismissed but the CCRC has reviewed the case and ordered that it should go back to the Court of Appeal.

Jenkins' solicitors have said the decision relates to the fact that two of the former deputy head teacher's natural daughters were not called to give evidence at the original trial, and to evidence given by a pathologist.

Jenkins 'elated' at news

Neil O'May, from Bindman & Partners, who represent Jenkins, said: "It is pretty important to hear from the two people who were with Sion Jenkins throughout the afternoon when Billie-Jo died.

"We are confident that the Court of Appeal will mark this case as a miscarriage of justice.

"Sion Jenkins is elated with the news. After spending such a long time incarcerated in prison, the end is now in sight."

Jenkins's first appeal was dismissed in December 1999 when the court upheld the verdict that Jenkins, from Aberystwyth, had bludgeoned the 13-year-old to death with a metal tent spike.

Billie-Jo was beaten to death with a metal tent spike at her home

Billie-Jo was painting patio doors at the rear of the family home in Lower Park Road in Hastings, East Sussex, when she was attacked.

The former deputy headmaster's parents, David and Megan Jenkins, of Aberystwyth, said the Appeal Court ruling was a "shocking miscarriage of justice".

The jury at Lewes Crown Court had been told that about 150 microscopic blood spots found on his clothing could only have resulted from Jenkins being close to the girl as she was struck.

His appeal hinged on fresh evidence of tests said to show that the blood spots could have come from the dying girl's breath as he stood over her.

Jenkins claimed to have found Billie-Jo's body when he returned from a shopping trip with two of his four natural daughters.