Killer of Sophie, 7, in new freedom bid

Paedo plan after 30 years in jail

- DAN WARBURTON and HOLLIE BONE

A PAEDOPHILE is launching a fresh bid to clear his name 30 years after one of Britain's most shocking child murders.

Howard Hughes was jailed for life for killing Sophie Hook, seven.

The 6ft 8in tall unemployed gardener snatched her from a tent, raped and strangled her then threw her body into the sea.

Now 59, he has hired a new legal team to try and win his freedom.

A source said: "Hughes has never accepted his guilt. He spends his time in maximum security HMP Full Sutton telling anyone who will listen that he didn't do it.

"But it would take something spectacular to overturn his conviction."

LEERING

Hughes has already tried three times for a review of his case - in 1998, 2004 and 2017.

Each time the Criminal Case Review Commission "made a decision not to refer the conviction to the Court of Appeal because reviews found no real possibility of it being overturned".