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Simon Hall confesses to Joan Albert murder 12 years on Simon Hall confesses to Joan Albert murder 12 years on
(about 4 hours later)
A killer who stabbed a 79-year-old woman to death has confessed to the crime after a decade claiming he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. A burglar who stabbed a 79-year-old woman to death has confessed to the crime after a decade claiming he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
Simon Hall, 35, was jailed for life in 2003 for the attack on Joan Albert at her home in Capel St Mary, Suffolk.Simon Hall, 35, was jailed for life in 2003 for the attack on Joan Albert at her home in Capel St Mary, Suffolk.
His case was reinvestigated by the BBC series Rough Justice in 2007 and his claims of innocence also won the backing of ex-Ipswich MP Chris Mole. His case was investigated by the BBC series Rough Justice in 2007 and his claims of innocence also won the backing of ex-Ipswich MP Chris Mole.
Police said Hall had now admitted his guilt to prison authorities.Police said Hall had now admitted his guilt to prison authorities.
His case had been taken to the Court of Appeal in 2011 but the judges upheld his conviction. Hall's case had been taken to the Court of Appeal in 2011 but the judges upheld his conviction.
His legal team had cast doubt on fibres evidence used in his trial.His legal team had cast doubt on fibres evidence used in his trial.
'Brutal crime''Brutal crime'
In January, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said it was examining a new claim by Hall, originally of Hill House, Ipswich, that he was carrying out a burglary elsewhere on the day Mrs Albert's body was found. In January, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said it was examining a new claim by Hall that he was carrying out a burglary elsewhere on the day Mrs Albert's body was found, but said this had now been dropped.
The former power company office worker had claimed he was stealing CD players from a shop in Ipswich six miles away, even though he admitted he had not told police about this before. A Suffolk Police statement said: "Over the 10 years since Hall's conviction there have been a number of appeals and campaigns which have asserted that Simon Hall was wrongfully convicted of Mrs Albert's murder.
The CCRC said the case was now closed.
A Suffolk Police statement said: "After an extensive investigation involving a team of more than 20 detectives, Simon Hall was arrested, charged and subsequently convicted of Mrs Albert's murder in February 2003 at Norwich Crown Court.
"Over the 10 years since Hall's conviction there have been a number of appeals and campaigns which have asserted that Simon Hall was wrongfully convicted of Mrs Albert's murder.
"These events and the related uncertainty have undoubtedly exacerbated the suffering Mrs Albert's family have had to endure since Joan was murdered."These events and the related uncertainty have undoubtedly exacerbated the suffering Mrs Albert's family have had to endure since Joan was murdered.
"We sincerely hope that Simon Hall's admissions to having committed this brutal crime will in some way enable the family to move on with their lives.""We sincerely hope that Simon Hall's admissions to having committed this brutal crime will in some way enable the family to move on with their lives."
Hall's wife Stephanie ran the Justice 4 Simon campaign for many years in an attempt to free him from prison. Hall's original trial at Norwich Crown Court heard Mrs Albert - a former hairdresser - was the victim of a "sudden, savage and brutal attack" after a burglary attempt went wrong.
When he was sentenced in 2003, he was given a minimum tariff of 15 years in jail. Online messages
When Hall, originally of Hill House, Ipswich, was sentenced in 2003, he was given a minimum tariff of 15 years in jail.
Hall's wife Stephanie ran the Justice 4 Simon campaign for many years in an attempt to free him from prison and Hall regularly sent online messages to his supporters.
In the most recent post on the Justice4SimonHall website, which is no longer available to the public, he wrote about how he was preparing to be released from prison.
Last month he said he had been moved to Hollesley Bay open prison in Suffolk and preparations were under way for him to be released to a bail hostel.
But Hall claimed plans for him to be allowed on day release had been blocked after Mrs Albert's family asked that he be excluded from Ipswich because of its proximity to the crime scene.