A MOTHER fighting to end the 800-year-old double jeopardy rule has challenged the new chairman of the Bar Council to re-think his plans to retain it.

Matthias Kelly, newly- appointed chairman of the body representing and regulating barristers, has made keeping the double jeopardy rule one of his top priorities.

The Bar Council is opposed to the Government's new Crime Justice Bill, which aims to abolish the law that protects people from being re-tried for a crime if they have been cleared before.

But Teessider Ann Ming, who has fought to scrap the rule - a campaign backed by The Northern Echo - since her daughter's killer admitted the crime after he was acquitted, says Mr Kelly should reconsider.

Mrs Ming found Julie Hogg's mutilated body hidden under the bath at her Billingham home in 1989.

Labourer Billy Dunlop was arrested, charged and then acquitted of her murder, but later confessed to the killing. However, the double jeopardy rule meant he was only found guilty of perjury for lying at the original trial.

Mr Kelly has argued that the rule should remain. He said: "If a jury of 12 ordinary people has decided that someone is not guilty, that should be the end of the matter.

"If you keep it hanging around, you'll get someone who's acquitted who the Press don't like and they'll run campaigns and harass that person.

"Eventually, they'll be stuck on trial and what chance is there of that being fair?

"We also think there should be closure for everyone after a trial. Suppose one of your children was the victim - would you want to keep living this over and over again?"

But Mrs Ming, recently voted one of Britain's bravest women for her tireless campaigning in the face of personal tragedy, challenged Mr Kelly to draw up alternatives.

She said: "He hasn't come up with any other options. If someone confesses to a crime after being acquitted, what does he suggest happens?

"I knew there would be opposition to the proposed Bill, but what does he intend to do about Billy Dunlop and others like him?

"It is not acceptable for someone to admit to murder then be charged with just perjury. I will be writing to Mr Kelly to arrange a meeting on this subject."