A 75-year-old murder case is to go to Appeal Court judges this month following a newspaper campaign to clear the name of a miner hanged for the killing.

The Ilkeston Advertiser launched a campaign to quash the conviction two years ago.

With local legal executive Chris Barlow, the paper raised questions about the conviction of 22-year-old William Knighton, hanged for the grisly killing of his mother Ada.

After the Advertiser’s initial report, many witnesses came forward to say they had seen William’s father George burning his blood-stained clothing several days after the killing.

Both Chris Barlow, who campaigned for a review because of the age of potential witnesses, and the Advertiser, agreed to maintain the anonymity of the two lady relatives, one of whom said it was common knowledge in the family what really happened that night.

The Advertiser campaign was joined by local MP Liz Blackman who also made representations to the Criminal Case Review Commission. A prominent lawyer from nearby Nottingham even offered to take on the case without fee if it went to the Appeal Court. The hearing is set for July 26.

Editor David Horne said: “In today’s legal system William would not have been convicted. This was based purely on his confession. Following his conviction fresh evidence was placed before the courts but they chose to ignore it.

“Papers discovered by the Criminal Case Review Commission highlight very serious irregularities which are now to be considered by the Court of Appeal. The nub of our case is that evidence will show William’s father was the probable murderer of Ada. William had no motive for the killing, he loved his mum and always protected her. Even the policeman who dealt with the case expressed his doubts about William’s guilt.

“Win or lose, we believe there should be no time limit on justice. And there are ageing relatives around who feel the same way and want William’s name clearing at last.”

Ada’s blood-soaked body was discovered in her Ilkeston home on the morning of Tuesday, February 8, 1927.

Her throat had been cut during the night and in the apparent presence of her 16-year-old daughter Doris Ivy Knighton.

William walked into the local police station the following morning and confessed to the murder – without any knowledge of how the murder weapon, a cut-throat razor, had appeared in his pocket.It later transpired that William, who suffered from epilepsy and subsequent memory loss because of the condition, had the razor planted on him while he lay in a drunken stupor downstairs in their terraced house.

The relatives who came forward told Chris Barlow that George had a long history of violence towards his wife. The night before the killing she ran into a local pub after another row with her husband after she found him sexually interfering with her 16-year-old daughter.

Ada had threatened to go to the police but she did not live long enough – and William took the rap.

Chris explained that daughter Doris only came out with the ‘truth’ when she was removed from the family home to stay with an elderly witnessess’s mother who recounted the ‘true’ version of events. Another witness said she wanted the truth to be finally told and that his conviction should be finally quashed.

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