Expert casts doubt on murder conviction

Susan May with her son Adam

NEW evidence may help to clear the name of convicted murderer Susan May, who went to prison 20 years ago.

May (68) served 12 years for killing her elderly aunt, Hilda Marchbank, who was found smothered at her home in Tandle Hills Road, Royton in 1992.

Ms May always maintained her innocence and has campaigned to clear her name since her release - a cause backed by 100 MPs and peers.

During the trial, the prosecution’s case hinged on a blood-stained hand print - but a fingerprint expert now says there is overwhelming evidence the marks were not made in blood.

The case is being examined by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, and could be referred to the Court of Appeal for a third time.

The forensic report is from fingerprint analyst Arie Zeelenberg, a former head of the Dutch national police fingerprint service.

It concludes: “There is no evidence that the finger marks attributed to Susan May were placed in blood - in fact there is overwhelming evidence they were not comprised of blood but of sweat and a minor residue of an unknown substance.”

During the trial, the jury was told Ms May’s fingerprint was found in a blood-stained hand print; one officer told the court it was made by “quite a lot” of blood. But pictures, examined by Mr Zeelenberg, showed the prints were almost invisible to the naked eye.

Ms May said: “I sincerely hope now the commission will see fit to refer my case back to the Court of Appeal, because it undermines the whole prosecution case.”

The CCRC is considering Mr Zeelenberg’s report and asking the opinion of other experts.