Country horror 21 yrs ago

Dr Lin Russell, 45, is walking home from swimming with daughters Megan, six, and nine-yearold Josie in Chillenden, Kent. They are attacked by a man who ties them up with towels, blindfolds them and batters them with a hammer – leaving Lin,Megan and their pet dog dead. Josie is left with serious injuries including brain damage. Michael Stone is arrested for murder but pleads innocence. He is charged after fellow prisoner Damien Daley tells guards that Stone allegedly confessed to the murders and said he tied his victims up “with wet towels while their dog barked”. Stone is found guilty of two murders and attempted murder after jury deliberates for 15 hours. He is sentenced to life in prison.A month later his lawyers announce he will appeal. Stone wins his appeal, his convictions are quashed, but a retrial is set for later that year. Stone is found guilty for a second time. Stone is granted a second appeal– but loses that in January 2005. A mental health report is released in which it is revealed Stone had told a psychiatric nurse that he wanted to kill people briefly before the murders. It was also revealed that Stone had a personality disorder. Stone has remained in prison since the report but continues to deny the murders. A programme shown on BBC2 in May reviews the evidence and a panel of independent experts suggests someone else may have been at the scene. Attack victim Josie Russell claimed the man who attacked her, her sister and mum was taller than her dad, who is 6ft. Levi Bellfield is taller than 6ft, while Stone is 5ft 10ins. The car that Josie claimed the killer used matches one that Bellfield was understood to be using around that time – though Bellfield disputes this. Stone remains in prison and will not be considered for release until 2023, when he will be 63.