I was forced to confess, says man wrongly jailed

A MAN falsely convicted of manslaughter has accused the police of forcing him into a confession after the real killer was caught 40 years later.

Noel Jones, 59, had been accused of the murder of 15-year-old Janet Commins in Flint, North Wales, but was convicted in 1976 of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years, of which he served half.

However, last month Stephen Hough was judged, on DNA evidence, by a jury at Mold Crown Court to have been the real killer. Yesterday Mr Jones issued a statement to announce that he was lodging an appeal.

He said: “In July 2017, Stephen Hough was convicted and sentenced for the killing of Janet Commins. I was originally charged with the murder of Miss Commins in 1976. The confession I gave during that investigation was false and only given under pressure.

“I was relieved when justice was finally done upon the conviction of Stephen Hough. Now the trial is over I have instructed my solicitors, Humphrys Dawson, to pursue an appeal against my conviction.”