Sion Jenkins enrols to study law

Sion Jenkins was acquitted of the murder of Billie-Jo in 2006

A former deputy head teacher cleared of murdering his foster daughter is to study criminology and criminal justice, a university has revealed.

Sion Jenkins, 49, from Lymington, Hampshire, is embarking on a Masters degree at the University of Portsmouth.

He was acquitted of murdering Billie-Jo, 13, in Hastings, East Sussex, after a third trial in 2006.

Billie-Jo was found battered to death with an iron tent peg on the patio of their home in 15 February 1997.

Miscarriages of justice

The former deputy head at all-boys William Parker School in Hastings, who was cleared of the murder in February 2006, always maintained his innocence during the two appeals and three trials.

Anne Stanford, spokeswoman for the university, said: "We can confirm he's a student here and he's studying an MSc in criminology and criminal justice.

"The university doesn't comment on individual students."

Mr Jenkins, who lives with his second wife, Christina Ferneyhough, will work on a special project exploring miscarriages of justice as part of his degree.

However, he has reportedly told friends that he harbours no long-term ambitions to work in the criminal justice system or the legal profession.

Part of the course requires the student to write a thesis exploring the flaws in the legal system leading to miscarriages of justice and ways they can be eliminated.

He will also take part in debates about the law during the course.