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| DNA may free man after 27 years | DNA may free man after 27 years |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man jailed for murdering a barmaid 27 years ago could be released from prison after DNA evidence was reviewed. | A man jailed for murdering a barmaid 27 years ago could be released from prison after DNA evidence was reviewed. |
| Sean Hodgson is serving a life sentence for killing Teresa De Simone, 22. She was found strangled in her car in Southampton in December 1979. | Sean Hodgson is serving a life sentence for killing Teresa De Simone, 22. She was found strangled in her car in Southampton in December 1979. |
| The case has now been sent to appeal over claims tests on semen found at the scene prove it was not Hodgson's DNA. | The case has now been sent to appeal over claims tests on semen found at the scene prove it was not Hodgson's DNA. |
| The BBC understands the Crown Prosecution Service will not contest the appeal on 18 March. | The BBC understands the Crown Prosecution Service will not contest the appeal on 18 March. |
| Hodgson, who is also known as Robert Graham Hodgson, would be one of the longest-serving victims of a miscarriage of justice if released. He is anxious because he is going to be facing the outside world for the first time in a large number of years Julian Young, Hodgson's lawyer | |
| Miss De Simone's partially clothed body was found in the back seat of her Ford Escort in a car park beneath the Tom Tackle pub where she worked part-time as a barmaid. | |
| Hodgson made various confessions to the murder but his defence said he was a pathological liar and the confessions were untrue. | Hodgson made various confessions to the murder but his defence said he was a pathological liar and the confessions were untrue. |
| Hodgson's lawyer, Julian Young, said it was hoped his client would be freed next Wednesday. | |
| "He is obviously pleased the matter is going forward. | |
| "He is anxious because he is going to be facing the outside world for the first time in a large number of years. | |
| "He will have to make a life and reorganise his life for the future."Miss De Simone's body was found near the pub where she worked | |
| At his trial at Winchester Crown Court he pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder. | At his trial at Winchester Crown Court he pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder. |
| The jury found him guilty in 1982 and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. | The jury found him guilty in 1982 and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. |
| The prosecution had also been supported during the trial by the fact that blood type analysis available at the time showed that material recovered at the scene belonged to a man with blood of either group A or AB. | |
| Mr Hodgson was in that category along with roughly a third of the male population. | Mr Hodgson was in that category along with roughly a third of the male population. |
| DNA tests were not available at the time, but after requests from Mr Hodgson's legal team Hampshire Constabulary and the Forensic Science Service undertook a comprehensive forensic case review in November 2008. | DNA tests were not available at the time, but after requests from Mr Hodgson's legal team Hampshire Constabulary and the Forensic Science Service undertook a comprehensive forensic case review in November 2008. |
| This included DNA testing on samples collected at the time of the murder. There is a real possibility that the court will consider the conviction unsafe and quash it Criminal Cases Review Commission | This included DNA testing on samples collected at the time of the murder. There is a real possibility that the court will consider the conviction unsafe and quash it Criminal Cases Review Commission |
| Following this review the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) decided to refer the case to the Court of Appeal after two days - making it one of the fastest in the commission's history. | Following this review the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) decided to refer the case to the Court of Appeal after two days - making it one of the fastest in the commission's history. |
| The CCRC said: "In light of new evidence available, the commission has decided to refer Mr Hodgson's conviction to the Court of Appeal because it believes there is a real possibility that the court will consider the conviction unsafe and quash it." | The CCRC said: "In light of new evidence available, the commission has decided to refer Mr Hodgson's conviction to the Court of Appeal because it believes there is a real possibility that the court will consider the conviction unsafe and quash it." |
| The CCRC has also contacted the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the possibility of similar murder cases being reviewed in light of DNA evidence. | The CCRC has also contacted the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the possibility of similar murder cases being reviewed in light of DNA evidence. |
| In a statement Hampshire police said Mr Hodgson's case has been "comprehensively and extensively reviewed and re-examined". | In a statement Hampshire police said Mr Hodgson's case has been "comprehensively and extensively reviewed and re-examined". |
| It added that DNA evidence had arisen which was not available at the time of Mr Hodgson's conviction. | It added that DNA evidence had arisen which was not available at the time of Mr Hodgson's conviction. |