Growing doubts

Downing, who was educationally sub-normal, signed a confession which contained numerous inaccuracies. Alibi of initial prime suspect has collapsed. Downing's fingerprints were not on the murder weapon Fact hereA bloody palm prin was found belonging to another person, as were rogue hair and fibres.

Stephen Downing, who is educationally sub-normal, is serving a life sentence for the murder of 32-year-old typist Wendy Sewell in Bakewell, Derbyshire in 1973.

Downing, who was 17 at the time and a groundsman at the cemetery, discovered Mrs Sewell's body after returning from a lunch break. He was charged with her murder when she died in hospital without revealing who killed her.

But serious doubts about his guilt were raised by a campaign started by the editor of his local newspaper and three years ago the case was referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

His family has accused the commission, which has the power to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal, of dragging its feet.

Don Hale has been campaigning for Downing's release

Now campaigners are suggesting Wendy Sewell's killer could have been responsible for the unsolved murder of a 24-year-old teacher, Barbara Mayo, whose killing in October 1970 sparked one of Britain's largest investigations.

Her battered body was found in a Derbyshire wood near the M1, six days after she set off hitch-hiking.

Don Hale, editor of the Matlock Mercury, who compiled the dossier of new evidence handed to the CCRC, told BBC News Online two suspects in the Mayo case were later quizzed by detectives after Mrs Sewell was killed in September 1973.

Signed a confession

Downing, who had the reading age of an 11-year-old, signed a statement confessing to the attack only hours after Mrs Sewell was found.

But the statement, made before Mrs Sewell died, contained several inaccuracies. In it Downing said he had hit her twice over the head - she had actually been hit seven or eight times - and had sexually assaulted her. There was no evidence of sexual assault.

Stephen Downing, pictured on holiday in 1973

He said he kept his gloves in his back pocket but police were later to explain away the lack of his fingerprints on the murder weapon by claiming he had worn gloves.

Mr Hale says he has information to prove the two men questioned over the murder of Mrs Sewell were among five Bakewell men spoken to by police at the time of Barbara Mayo's death.

'Prime suspect'

One was a lorry driver and the other drove a car linked to the disappearance of Miss Mayo.

"One of them in particular was a prime suspect in the Mayo case. He was a driver in the area and was known to pick up hitchhikers."

Mr Hale says he also believes there may be other clues linking the two murders: "Barbara Mayo was hitchhiking when she was abducted and Wendy Sewell occasionally did.

"Both were found spread out in a star shape and both had all their personal affects that could identify them taken."

A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman said: "We are not working on the assumption there is a link of any kind."

Ray and Juanita Downing are fighting for their son's liberty

Downing, who is currently being held at Littlehey prison in Cambridgeshire, was eligible for parole 10 years ago but has remained in jail because he continues to deny any part in Miss Sewell's murder.

Earlier this year the Home Office refused to transfer him to an open jail despite the recommendation of the Parole Board.

A CCRC spokesman told BBC News Online: "A decision on this case is weeks away. We expect something by the autumn."