Family condemns innocence claim of pensioner's killer

Wilf Mann was tied up, stamped on and had the handle of a bread knife rammed down his throat at his home in Ushaw Moor, Durham.

Unemployed beggar Paul Newman was found guilty of the murder and sentenced four years ago at Newcastle Crown Court to life.

In a letter to The Northern Echo he says he is fighting for "real justice" and denies the murder of Mr Mann on New Year's Eve in 1996.

Newman, who is being held in Durham's Frankland jail, goes on to say he has protested his innocence by going on hunger strike and slitting his wrists.

But Mr Mann's sister-in-law Molly, 83, said: "He has destroyed this family and should never leave his prison cell.

"Everyone knows he committed a most horrific, brutal murder and it is time he kept quiet."

She said Mr Mann's death had greatly affected his two brothers, who lived in the same pit village.

Leslie, her husband, died two years ago and Mark Mann is now seriously ill after suffering a stroke.

"They were both brought up as good church-going sons, and the shock of Wilf's death was too much for them."

Detective Inspector Neil Redhead, who was second in command in the murder inquiry, said Newman had always claimed the murder was committed by someone else.

He said: "A full and thorough investigation into Mr Mann's brutal murder was carried out.

"Ultimately, the jury reached the same verdict that we did, namely that Paul Newman was solely responsible for his death."

When Newman, a convicted criminal, was sentenced Judge Mr Justice Sedley said he had a "record of persistent, delinquent and dangerous behaviour".

It was thought that Mr Mann was killed as Newman forced him to reveal where he kept his money.

He was spotted by a neighbour leaving the house in Highfield Terrace and said he was going for an ambulance.

The murder inquiry, one of the most high profile in the region in recent years, later resulted in police commendations for four of the officers involved in the case.