Fresh bid to clear Susan May

Susan May: died before appeal could be heard

A POWERFUL group of MPs is to investigate claims that a government body sat on a killer’s appeal against her murder conviction for too long.

Susan May (68), of Dogford Road, Royton, spent 12 years in prison after being convicted of killing her aunt Hilda Marchbank (87) at her home in Royton in 1993.

Susan died in November, 2013, weeks before finding out whether she would be granted a third appeal against conviction.

The prosecution was adamant a blood-stained hand print on the wall of Mrs Marchbank’s bedroom was Susan’s. But a Dutch fingerprint expert last year claimed there was “overwhelming evidence” the supposed blood stains were sweat marks.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) had agreed to investigate whether her case should be referred to the Court of Appeal for a third time, based on the new evidence. Susan May died of cancer before she heard its decision.

The Justice Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the CCRC, probing claims the system has become ineffective and is leaving innocent people behind bars while case reviews take years.

Susan’s three adult children and friends hope a new review could finally clear her name after a 20-year ordeal and three appeals, one of which took 10 years to finish.