Appeal hopes in baby deaths case

Donna Anthony's fate could be decided shortly

The lawyer of a Somerset mother who claims she was wrongly convicted of killing two of her babies says he is hopeful of her release.

Donna Anthony is one of 28 cases referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) after Angela Cannings' conviction was quashed.

"I am hopeful that today her case will be referred to appeal," George Hawkes told the BBC.

"I have thought it was a miscarriage of justice for eight years."

He added there had never been any evidence against her.

"I don't believe she should have been anywhere near a court," he said.

At the time one mustn't forget that [Professor Sir Roy Meadow's] theories were accepted as being right George Hawkes

Mr Hawkes said he did not believe the theories of Professor Sir Roy Meadow, called as an expert witness for the prosecution in many baby death cases, were coherent.

"At the time one mustn't forget that his theories were accepted as being right.

"I didn't think they were, I thought they were nonsense.It was a theory but there was never any evidence," Mr Hawkes said.

The Attorney General launched a review of 297 cases following the judgment inthe Angela Cannings case and 28 were referred to the CCRC.

In November the commission revealed it was investigating six of them, including Anthony's, after contacting the defendants.

The Home Office decided not to award Mrs Cannings compensation.

Mr Hawkes said he was "astounded" by the decision.

Boris Worrall, spokesman for the CCRC, said on Thursday the committee could takeas little as a few days to decide Anthony's fate, or as long as a few weeks.