Teenager Jailed For Police Killing Celebrates Freedom

In a hearing lasting just a few minutes five Law Lords overturned the 19-year-old's 1994 conviction for the murder of Sgt Bill Forth in Gateshead.

They will give their reasons for their decision in the landmark case at a later date.

English, who was only 15 at the time of the murder and is believed to be the youngest person convicted of murdering a policeman, was released last night from Moorlands Prison near Doncaster, where he was serving a life sentence.

The decision to allow English's appeal against conviction was greeted with jubilation by his family and brought renewed hope for the family of Derek Bentley, hanged for the murder of a policeman 44 years ago, who are campaigning for his case to be posthumously referred back to the Court of Appeal.

Bentley was convicted of murder even though he was under arrest at the time and another youth, Christopher Craig pulled the trigger.

Mandy English, the teenager's delighted stepmother, was at the House of Lords yesterday and immediately phoned the news to his mother Marion Hutchinson, his father Gary, grandad Philip and other relatives.

Mrs English, who had campaigned to free her stepson, said she was "ecstatic".

But Sgt Forth's widow Gill Merrin said: "I just feel that Bill has been let down by the British justice system. I don't know why and I need to understand why."

English was found guilty at Teesside Crown Court of murdering Sgt Forth in March 1993 along with Paul Weddle, then aged 25, who stabbed the officer to death.

His appeal lawyers argued that the teenager was wrongly convicted of murder because of a confusion in the law and was serving a life sentence for actions for which he was not responsible.

• Teenager's Police Murder Conviction Quashed By Law Lords - Thursday July 17, 5:04 PM
• Lords Rule On Murder Conviction - Thursday July 17, 7:23 AM