THE parents of murdered pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg will discover this week if they are a step closer to achieving justice for their daughter.

Ann Ming and her husband, Charlie, have been campaigning for an end to the double jeopardy rule - which prevents defendants being charged twice for the same crime - since labourer Billy Dunlop admitted killing their daughter, Julie, 12 years ago.

Home Secretary David Blunkett's Criminal Justice White Paper, to be read out in the House of Commons on Wednesday, is believed to spell out plans to end the double jeopardy rule.

This would mean that Dunlop, who was acquitted of murder after two juries failed to agree a verdict but later confessed in prison to killing Julie, could face a new murder charge once the change becomes law.

A leaked report claims that the double jeopardy rule will be scrapped - but the Mings are refusing to get their hopes up yet.

Speaking at her home in Stockton, Mrs Ming said: "We are hoping that the paper does say it will be abolished, but the Law Commission paper recommended relaxing the law only when compelling new evidence comes to light. We believe it will be retrospective.

"We are apprehensive until we see it. We have worked too hard and for too long for us to comment yet."

Stockton MP Frank Cook has been working alongside the Mings to campaign for a change in the law.

He said: "I do not doubt that the proposals are there. It will centre around capital crime and it will require compelling new evidence.

"The difficulty will be building into it new legislation and the right kind of safeguards."

Those opposed to abolishing the rule believe that there would be problems in administering it.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: "There are great difficulties in changing the rule against double jeopardy.

"Any such change will have a difficult time getting through Parliament, and any suggestion that the previous convictions should be available to the court before conviction will be furiously resisted."