Daughter's tears in Jenkins case

Jenkins was jailed for murdering his teenage foster daughter

The natural daughter of a man appealing against his conviction for murdering his foster daughter broke down in tears while testifying in his defence.

Charlotte Jenkins, 18, told the court about the day her father was alleged to have killed Billie-Jo in 1997.

Former deputy head teacher Sion Jenkins, 45, from Hastings, Sussex, is serving life for murder.

Miss Jenkins told appeal court judges she had been confused when she spoke to her mother about the incident.

Miss Jenkins, who was 10 at the time of the murder, was asked by Clare Montgomery QC, for Jenkins if she remembered telling her mother, Lois, that she "knew" her father had killed Billie-Jo but did not believe he did it deliberately.

She replied: "I may have because I was confused and kept changing my mind. I can't remember.

Shopping trip

"I was confused, remembering the day, wondering whether or not to believe what was in the papers, things like that."

Sion Jenkins was jailed after it was alleged that, during a three-minute visit to the house, he had an argument with Billie-Jo and battered her with an 18-inch metal tent spike before driving to a DIY store with the sisters.

The appeal had to be briefly adjourned when Charlotte broke down after the defence asked her about seeing Billie-Jo's body from the dining room after the abortive shopping trip.

At the end of her evidence, the visibly shaken teenager, was told she would not face cross-examination and could fly back to her home in Tasmania

Killer's bid for freedom Emotion marks daughter's evidence

Miss Jenkins' sister Annie was not in court.

But a transcript of evidence she gave in a recorded interview in 2002 was read out.

The transcript detailed how she could not remember telling her mother that Billie-Jo and her father had argued on the day she died.

"I don't remember Dad being cross with Billie-Jo," she said in relation to his alleged reaction over a row the two girls had about painting the patio doors.

Annie said she could not recall a "screaming match" with Billie-Joe.

Neither Annie, now 19, nor Charlotte were called as witnesses in the original trial at the choice of Jenkins' defence team, who believed they had become hostile to their father.

The defence says that accounts given by his daughters effectively clear their father and suggest an intruder murdered Billie-Jo.

The hearing was adjourned until Friday, when Anthony Scrivener QC, Jenkins' counsel at his trial, will give evidence.

The hearing, before Lord Justice Rose, Mr Justice Curtis and Mr Justice Wakerley, is set to last for up to three weeks.