New plea over murder conviction

The case has been sent to the Criminal Cases Review Commission

A group campaigning against the conviction a 27-year-old man for the murder a 79-year-old widow has called for help from the public.

Simon Hall, who lived in Ipswich, was jailed for life in 2003 for murdering Joan Albert, of Capel St Mary.

On Thursday, the campaign group Justice4Simon called on local people who had information about the case that could help an appeal to contact them.

Hall's mother Lynne hoped people would be "brave enough to come forward".

Mrs Hall told BBC News that there will be people living in the area who know more about the crime than they have revealed.

Joan Albert was found dead in the hallway of her home

"We would urge people, please, to come forward. That is what we want," he said.

On Tuesday, BBC News revealed that Hall had applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission asking them to look again at the case.

Hall had been out drinking with friends in Ipswich and had an alibi for almost the entire night she died, except between 0530 and 0615 GMT.

The police said that after driving to a house to drop a friend off in Ipswich, Hall then drove to Capel St Mary and parked his car close to 79-year-old Mrs Albert's home.

'Not possible'

Mrs Hall said: "He had to drive back to Ipswich. He had to climb into two gardens. Break in, then climb out of the same window.

"Then get back home in the same clothes he went out in as if nothing happened by 0615 GMT. I just don't think it was physically possible."

A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said: "Under the circumstances it is not appropriate for us to comment."

In a statement Mrs Albert's family said they had been devastated by her murder.

"It has changed our lives forever, and we are continually trying to put this behind us, but it is very difficult."

They said that at the trial the evidence had been enough to convince the jury and it had also been enough to convince the family justice had been done.

The Justice4Simon campaign can be contacted via its website.