UK murder truth sought | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

One of Britain's most controversial murder cases has been blown open by new DNA evidence uncovered by a Christchurch couple.

The nephew of anti-nuclear campaigner Hilda Murrell, 78, has cast fresh doubt over the conviction of a teenage burglar for her 1984 murder.

While researching a new book, Christchurch-based former Royal Navy commander Robert Green found details of DNA evidence not disclosed during the controversial trial which seems to clear her alleged killer.

Mr Green, and his Kiwi peace campaigner wife, Dr Kate Dewes, believes the evidence raises questions of state-sponsored murder and political conspiracy by the British media and top-ranking government officials.

It opens fresh debate over the case, which shocked Britain in the 80s. At the time Labour politician, Tam Dalyell MP claimed "men of British intelligence" were involved in the vociferous anti-nuclear opponent's death.

Now, the couple hopes that their claims, revealed in a newly published book, A Thorn in Their Side: The Hilda Murrell Murder, will force the case to be re-opened to clear the man convicted of Miss Murrell's death - and to find her real killer.

They also want a Commission of Inquiry into her death, and are travelling to the UK this weekend to persuade top military brass and politicians to consider their story.

"A very deep corruption runs through the country which is supposed to be the mother of democracy and we want the truth to come out," Mr Green told The Star.

Miss Murrell, a Cambridge scholar and world-renowned rose grower, was due to give evidence to the inquiry into a proposed nuclear reactor in England when she was abducted from her home in Shrewsbury in 1984.

Her body was found days later, dumped in a nearby copse of trees, and her murder prompted speculation in Parliament and brought many conspiracy theories, many of which centred on the involvement of MI5.

Almost two decades later, police charged Andrew George, 35,who had been a 16-year-old in foster care with Miss Murrell's murder in 2003.

He was matched to DNA found at the scene and sentenced to life in prison in 2005.

But Mr Green, Miss Murrell's closest living relative, says, "The truth was nowhere near the trial. He is an innocent man, and I can prove he can't have murdered my aunty."

During his own investigation into the death, Mr Green viewed the complete statements of evidence referred to and quoted from in the trial.

"We were shocked to make some explosive discoveries which were not put to the jury," Mr Green says.

Forensic expert Michael Appleby stated in December 2003 that 1mm of each of Miss Murrell's fingernails from each hand were sampled for DNA, but ruled out any link to Andrew George, he says.

"This was a forensic bombshell," said the former Royal Navy bombardier and headquarters intelligence officer during the Falklands War.

"Such powerful evidence almost certainly would have acquitted Andrew George, and proved Hilda had fought another man.

"Meanwhile, this young guy is rotting in jail and needs to be released."

He claims that George had interrupted MI5 agents interrogating the elderly protester in her home and was paid sixty thousand pounds in hush money before being arrested and "framed" 19 years later.

Flanked by his wife, Dr Kate Dewes, a nuclear disarmament researcher appointed adviser to the United Nations secretary-general, Mr Green is travelling to London on Sunday to meet with General Sir Hugh Beach and General Lord David Ramsbottom - two establishment figures against nuclear development - as well as other MPs.

"We won't stop until we get to the bottom of it," Mr Green said.