DNA

A DNA test on a Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has “conclusively” proved she is not the missing child, a court has heard.

Julia Wandelt, 24, had a sample analysed after she was arrested in February over the alleged stalking of Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry.

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Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell told a court today that when Ms Wandelt’s DNA was compared with Maddie’s the results were clear.

When asked what they proved, Cranwell replied: “A comparison took place and it conclusively proved that Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.”

The trial over Ms Wandelt’s alleged stalking of the McCann’s is ongoing as a court heard this month she is said to have bombarded Kate and Gerry with calls, letters and messages over almost three years.

Leicester crown court was played clips she left after she got the family’s phone number from Portuguese police records.

In one, Polish national Wandelt, 24, tells Kate: “I know you probably think Madeleine is dead, but she is not. I am her.”

She denies the stalking claims.

AFTER a decade of uncertainty, pain and torment, Logan Gifford can now call himself the father of his younger brother.

Logan, 27, was raped by his depraved mother at the age of 10 and forced to live through almost seven years of sexual abuse – which only stopped when his mum fell pregnant.

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When mum Doreene gave birth, speculation around who the father was quickly swirled.

Doreene – who was convicted of sexual assault, incest and lewdness in 2015 – claimed it was from an affair she had had away from Logan’s dad Ted.

But it wasn’t until Logan was in high school that he started to unravel the disturbing potential reality of his family tree.

Wanting to secure justice for both himself and his younger sibling, Logan became locked in a custody battle over the boy – who was living with his father Ted.

Logan wanted to find out who was the true father and if it was him to support the 15-year-old as much as possible.

After months of uncertainty and DNA tests, Logan has now officially been declared the teen’s dad in a Nevada court.

Speaking to The Sun on the verdict, Logan said: “The legal determination was made through the court process, but the biological and emotional realities remain deeply intertwined and unresolved.

“My goal has never been about winning a legal argument — it has always been about protecting my brother and ensuring the truth is fully known.”

The Las Vegas local has been trying to uncover the truth for years after he put Doreene behind bars in 2015 for the abuse.

As he battled to overcome the mental scars of his childhood, Logan started therapy.

It was during one of these sessions that he was asked about the possibility that he could be the father of his brother due to the years of abuse.

Logan said his brother went through a “complex” birth as he was deprived of oxygen and “came out purple”.

His brother went through years of speech and physical therapy and continues to struggle with a range of cognitive difficulties, requiring support at home and school.

Children born as a result of incest face a much higher risk of genetic disorders and disabilities due to the increased likelihood of inheriting recessive genetic mutations.

This case stems from a lifetime of trauma and abuse – circumstances no child or family should ever have to endure

Logan Gifford

Babies who are starved of oxygen can develop Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy, which causes brain injuries and can lead to disabilities such as cerebral palsy, seizures and developmental issues.

Logan has long battled with the idea that he may have been the reason for his brother’s disabilities – due to his incestuous conception.

Logan said: “This case stems from a lifetime of trauma and abuse – circumstances no child or family should ever have to endure.

“My parents did my brother, who is disabled, a disservice in not fully understanding why he was born the way he was.”

The court’s decision allows Logan to claim custody for his brother – but his father, Ted, has not completed a DNA test yet.

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Logan explained: “The DNA testing that was conducted produced results showing that I was not ruled out as his biological father.

“At the same time, Ted – the man who was presumed to be the biological father – defaulted, meaning he declined to participate in the process and failed to appear.

“As a result, the judge issued a ruling based on the available evidence and that default.

“This outcome highlights how complex and painful this case truly is.”

A few years after the abuse ended, Logan decided to report his mum to the police.

At the time, Logan believed he had dealt with the biggest problem in his life by putting his mother behind bars.

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THE real ‘Da Vinci Code’ is close to finally being solved after a major scientific breakthrough.

Experts are racing to crack the mystery of DNA, death and burial tied to legendary artist, scientist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.

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The world was captivated by 2003 novel and 2006 movie The Da Dinvci Code.

It saw Tom Hanks playing a professor looking to uncover a religious mystery around the Holy Grail with clues hidden in Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting The Last Supper.

But the real Da Vinci Code that scientists are trying to solve involves mapping out the artist’s genome.

That’s the entire collection of DNA in da Vinci’s body – all of the genetic instructions needed to make and maintain him.

Now scientists say that they’ve confirmed a male bloodline that they can date all the way back to 1331.

This family tree spans 21 generations and involves as many as 400 individuals.

And they’ve found at least six descendants who, after DNA testing, can be traced directly to Leonardo da Vinci, who was born in 1452 in Anchiano, Vinci, Florence and died in 1519.

As part of the research, the scientists have also confirmed the existence of a da Vinci family tomb, in the Church of Santa Croce in Vinci.

The experts think this may be where several of Leonardo da Vinci’s family members are buried.

That includes his grandfather Antonio, uncle Francesco, and half-brothers Antonio, Pandolfo, and Giovanni.

“Further detailed analyses are necessary to determine whether the DNA extracted is sufficiently preserved,” said David Caramelli, of the University of Florence.

“Based on the results, we can proceed with analysis of Y chromosome fragments for comparison with current descendants.”

Now scientists hope to analyse the remains in the Vinci church tombs to find a match with the Y chromosome of the living descendants.

And scientists are also hoping to look for traces left on his original works.

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This could allow scientists to fully reconstruct da Vinci’s DNA.

“Our goal in reconstructing the Da Vinci family’s lineage up to the present day,” said Alessandro Vezzosi, of the Leonardo da Vinci Heritage Association.

“While also preserving and valuing the places connected to Leonardo, is to enable scientific research on his DNA.

“Through the recovery of Leonardo’s DNA, we hope to understand the biological roots of his extraordinary visual acuity, creativity, and possibly even aspects of his health and causes of death.”

Scientists may be able to use this information to confirm da Vinci’s final resting place.

The Renaissance painter was originally said to have been buried in Amboise, France in the Saint Florentin church.

This church was severely damaged during the French Revolution.

And bones believed to belong to him were moved to the Chapel of St Hubert in Amboise.

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But there have been doubts over whether these bones really do belong to da Vinci – a puzzle that could be solved using his DNA.

So scientists are probing what remains of da Vinci in terms of his works and descendants to crack the real code.

“Even a tiny fingerprint on a page could contain cells to sequence,” says Jesse H. Ausubel, of The Rockefeller University, who is director of the DNA project.

“21st-century biology is moving the boundary between the unknowable and the unknown.

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“Soon we may gain information about Leonardo and other historical figures once believed lost forever.”

DNA evidence links the suspect in the assassination of the conservative American activist Charlie Kirk last week to the scene of the crime, the director of the FBI has said.

DNA from a towel and a screwdriver recovered from the crime scene both match Tyler Robinson, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday.

Robinson, 22, was arrested by police on Thursday after a 33-hour manhunt for the killer.

“I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said in an interview on Fox News’s Fox & Friends.

Patel said Robinson had also expressed his desire to “take out” Kirk in a text exchange with another person, and had written a note detailing his plans to commit the crime.

Patel said the note had been destroyed, but investigators recovered forensic evidence of its existence at the home of Robinson and his romantic partner, who prosecutors have said has been cooperating in the investigation.

“We have evidence to show what was in that note, which is… basically saying… ‘I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it’,” he said.

Kirk, the CEO and cofounder of conservative youth activist organisation Turning Point USA and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead last Wednesday during a speaking event at a university in Utah.

The killing of Kirk, a polarising figure who was lionised by conservatives and reviled by liberals, has provoked condemnation across the political spectrum, while drawing attention to deep political divisions in the United States and raising fears of further political violence.

The murder has also prompted calls for retribution among the political right, including from Trump, who has promised to use the power of the federal government to crack down on left-wing networks that he claims are driving violence.

On Monday, Trump said his administration was looking into bringing racketeering charges against left-wing groups believed to be funding agitators, and favoured designating the loose-knit antifascist group Antifa as domestic terrorists.

Trump’s pledge to crack down on what he says is left-wing extremism has raised fears that his administration may seek to use Kirk’s murder as a pretext to stifle legitimate dissent.

In an appearance as guest host of Kirk’s podcast, Vice President JD Vance backed a grassroots online campaign to get people who celebrated Kirk’s death fired, urging listeners to “call them out” and “call their employer.”

Numerous employees across the US have been fired or put on leave over their social media commentary about Kirk’s death, not all of whom celebrated or justified the assassination.

Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said on Monday that she had been fired over her social media posts about Kirk.

In a column on Substack, Attiah said she had been terminated for “speaking out against political violence, racial double standards, and America’s apathy toward guns.”

Attiah included a number of past posts about political violence in her column, only one of which mentioned Kirk specifically.

That posted misquoted Kirk as saying that black women “do not not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously.”

Kirk’s actual comments specifically referred to the intelligence of four black women, including former first lady Michelle Obama and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Responding to a claim by Vance that “most of the lunatics” in US politics reside on the far-left, Democratic lawmaker Greg Casar accused the Trump administration of weaponising concerns about political violence against its opponents.

“He cannot be allowed to use the horrible murder of Charlie Kirk as a pretext to go after peaceful political opposition,” Casar, who represents a Texas district in the US House of Representatives, said in a statement.

High-profile acts of political violence have targeted figures on both the left and right of US politics in recent years.

They include the killing of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota in June, two assassination attempts on Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign, and a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of Democratic former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Experts say that politically motivated attacks and threats are on the rise in the US.

More than 250 incidents of threats and harassment against local officials were reported in the first half of 2025, a 9 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University.

While little information has been released about Robinson’s suspected motive so far, Patel on Monday affirmed an earlier assertion by Utah Governor Spencer Cox that the suspect espoused left-wing views.

“His family has collectively told investigators that he subscribed to left-wing ideology, and even more so in these last couple of years,” Patel said.

The IVF technique uses DNA from the mother’s egg, the father’s sperm, and a small amount from a healthy donor’s egg.

Eight healthy babies have been born in the United Kingdom using a groundbreaking new IVF technique involving DNA from three people, offering hope to families with mitochondrial diseases, according to a world-first trial.

Experts at Britain’s Newcastle University and Monash University in Australia published the results of the much-awaited trial on Wednesday in several papers in the New England Journal of Medicine.

These genetic diseases, which affect one in 5,000 births and have no cure, can cause severe symptoms like vision loss and muscle wasting.

The new procedure, approved in the UK in 2015, uses DNA from the mother’s egg, the father’s sperm and a small amount of healthy mitochondrial DNA from a donor’s egg. This has led to the controversial but widely used term “three-parent babies”, though only about 0.1% of the baby’s DNA comes from the donor.

Out of 22 women who underwent the treatment at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in northeast England, eight babies were born. The four boys and four girls now range from less than six months to more than two years old.

For six of the babies, the amount of mutated mitochondrial DNA was reduced by 95-100%, and for the other two, it was reduced by 77-88%, which is below the disease-causing threshold.

The children are currently healthy, although their long-term health will continue to be monitored.

Despite this success, the procedure remains controversial and is not approved in many countries, including the United States and France. Opponents cite ethical concerns, including the destruction of human embryos and fears of creating “designer babies”.

However, experts argue that for families facing devastating mitochondrial diseases, the benefits of this procedure are clear and life-changing.

He bowed out with a massive gig at his beloved Villa Park this weekend but pals reckon Ozzy won’t stop making music amid fears he’ll die if he retires

Ozzy Osbourne is plotting to continue working despite his huge Birmingham gig being declared his farewell night, a pal has revealed. The Black Sabbath frontman has told friends he sees a future for him in the music industry even though the Back To The Beginning gig at Villa Park was promoted as the Brummie’s career finale.

The 76-year-old cannot see himself retiring despite his neck, back and Parkinson’s issues – because of what happened to his dad when he retired.

One friend – who has known Ozzy for several decades – said he “always thinks about his dad when it comes to retirement” because his father died just a few days after giving up work.

READ MORE: Bob Geldof tells why Live Aid’s rock ‘n’ roll romance wouldn’t work 40 years on

Already, Ozzy is said to be secretly plotting a new album for later in the year and is hoping to reunite with award-winning producer Andrew Watt. His old friend teased: “I would not be surprised if, knowing Ozzy, he would do something around a stage to promote that.

“Oz has made it clear many many times that he doesn’t want to simply retire and stop making music or feeling the love from live audiences.

“He feels that he will wither away and pass if he stops altogether. His biggest worry – and he has said this often – is that the same thing happens to him as his father. That haunts him.

“He has told us many times about how his father told him, ‘I have always wanted to dig the garden’. Ozzy then revealed he dug up the garden and died. Working is what keeps Ozzy going.

“There is a sense that he needs to be in the spotlight no matter how challenging his medical conditions. He loves the buzz of getting love from his fans – it’s in his DNA.”

That insight comes as the self-styled Prince Of Darkness wowed fans after reuniting with the original Black Sabbath members for the first time in 20 years at the weekend, also performing five solo songs during his star-studded Back To The Beginning.

The supershow included sets from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer and Tool. Ozzy belted out solo hits including Mr Crowley, Mama I’m Coming Home and Crazy Train plus War Pigs, Iron Man and Paranoid with Black Sabbath, as the fans went wild.

He was sent a video message from Sir Elton John, played out on the giant screens, in which he told Ozzy: “You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time. You are the king, you are the legend. You’ve been through so much crap in the last few years – I hope this is the best day of your life so far.”

Fans saw the reality of Ozzy’s medical woes as he performed on stage while seated on a winged throne. He had spent months working with physios and trainers to be able to stand fully, but “just could not make it.”

Speaking a few months ago, the rocker said he was struggling to walk more than a few feet unaided, explaining: “I am 70 f***ing six and even being over 70 is f***ing doing my brains in.”

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The Made in Chelsea star discovered the truth about his real name in the latest episode of ITV’s DNA Journey, which saw him team up with pal Marvin Humes

Sam Thompson has been left gobsmacked after a family history exploration on ITV’s ‘DNA Journey’ presented him with a surprising revelation about his name, only to discover it wasn’t quite true.

Joining Marvin Humes on the popular ancestry show ‘DNA Journey’, the presenter and reality TV favourite set out to trace his lineage, uncovering some unexpected tales along the way.

Starting off in sunny Jamaica, Marvin uncovered moving stories about his ancestors’ migration to Britain, while he was stunned to learn that his mate Sam had no clue about his own family’s past.

Feeling rather sheepish, the ex-‘Made In Chelsea’ star confessed: “I really don’t know why I haven’t asked,” as he mused over the potential awkwardness brought by the show’s posh image. “When you grow up with – I was on a show called Made in Chelsea, it’s the posh thing. You almost don’t want to know because you almost feel a bit bad.”

He also revealed that Thompson isn’t his full surname. The family name is actually De Courcy Thompson and the former Made in Chelsea star explained the decision to drop part of it, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Sam, 32, candidly expressed his views on having a hard-to-spell name and feeling pretentious, cheekily remarking: “We have a signet ring!”.

Upon uncovering family history, Marvin flipped the script, cautioning Sam with a mixture of jest and solemnity: “It can’t be as nice and fluffy and unicorns and rainbows as it’s been in Jamaica, and I’m sorry to say it, but it’s looking like it’s going to be you.”

Alarm flickered across Sam’s face when learning about his ancestor Charles Thompson’s stint in Jamaica in 1815, while Marvin played up the tension, saying: “This is going to get deep.”

As historical connections were drawn, Sam anxiously responded: “That doesn’t sound good. That sounds really bad.”

But, to Sam’s delight, the true legacy of Charles Thompson unfolded; he was not what Sam feared but rather a notable figure in defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. An elated Sam exclaimed: “Oh my god, I’m so happy! Oh, you really scared me! You were all thinking it…”

The revelation continued that it was Charles’ son Lesley who crafted the De Courcy surname for his own son Sydney, giving the family a veneer of distinction.

Sam laughed as he said: “We faked it and I’m over the moon. I’ve got a signet ring and it doesn’t mean anything. We just gave it to ourselves. It’s like those people who buy a knighthood just to call themselves sir or lady. That’s us!”

You can catch up on DNA Journey on ITVX

Every newborn baby in England will have their DNA mapped to assess their risk of hundreds of diseases, under NHS plans for the next 10 years.

The scheme, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, is part of a government drive towards predicting and preventing illness, which will also see £650m invested in DNA research for all patients by 2030.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said gene technology would enable the health service to “leapfrog disease, so we’re in front of it rather than reacting to it”.

It comes after a study analysing the genetic code of up to 100,000 babies was announced in October.

The government’s 10-year plan for the NHS, which is set to be revealed over the coming few weeks, is aimed at easing pressure on services.

The Department for Health and Social Care said that genomics – the study of genes – and AI would be used to “revolutionise prevention” and provide faster diagnoses and an “early warning signal for disease”.

Screening newborn babies for rare diseases will involve sequencing their complete DNA using blood samples from their umbilical cord, taken shortly after birth.

There are approximately 7,000 single-gene disorders. The NHS study which began in October only looked for gene disorders that develop in early childhood and for which there are effective treatments.

Currently, newborn babies are offered a heelprick blood test that checks for nine serious conditions, including cystic fibrosis.

The health secretary said in a statement: “With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill-health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives.”

Streeting added: “The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill-health to one that predicts and prevents it.”

Sequencing DNA gives a lot of information about a person which can then be used to make predictions about the likelihood of them having particular genetic diseases, according to Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, a geneticist at the Francis Crick Institute.

These include conditions like muscular dystrophy, liver diseases and some kidney problems, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Funding for the new initiative will also support efforts by Genomics England to build one of the world’s largest research databases, with the goal of containing over 500,000 genomes by 2030.

It builds on work the NHS carried out in recent months, in which it embarked on a study to track the entire genetic code of up to 100,000 newborn babies in England to screen for genetic conditions.

But Prof Lovell-Badge cautioned that the government would not only need to hire people to collect the data, but qualified professions who could interpret it for patients.

“You need people to have conversations with individuals who might be affected by genetic disease,” he said, adding that “one of the things that worries me” was an insufficient number of genetic counsellors.

“It’s not just having the information, it’s conveying the information in an appropriate, helpful way.”

PETER Sullivan is in line for a £1million compensation payout after spending 38 years in jail for a murder he didn’t commit.

The then 29-year-old was branded ‘Beast of Birkenhead’ after being wrongly convicted of killing 21-year-old Diane Sindall in 1986.

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Yesterday, Mr Sullivan, 68, saw his conviction quashed following a review at the Court of Appeal.

It also means a new murder investigation has been launched to find Diane’s killer.

Mr Sullivan, who held his hand to his mouth and appeared tearful as the decision was handed down, said he was “not angry” and would “begin repairing what I made from the driftwood that is my life”.

In a statement released through his solicitor, Sarah Myatt, moments after the verdict, he said: “As God is my witness, it is said the truth shall set you free. It is unfortunate that it does not give a timescale.”

The victim of Britain’s longest miscarriage of justice left prison a free man last night.

Compensation from the Ministry of Justice is capped at £1million, which Mr Sullivan is now in line for.

The MoJ said: “Peter Sullivan suffered a grave miscarriage of justice, and our thoughts are with him and the family of Diane Sindall.

“We will carefully consider this judgment, looking at how this could have happened and making sure both Mr Sullivan and Diane’s family get the answers they deserve.”

Mr Sullivan’s release comes after new tests ordered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission revealed his DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.

On the night of her murder, Diane had just left her shift as a part-time barmaid at a pub in Bebington when her small blue van ran out of petrol.

She was making her way to a garage when she was beaten to death and sexually assaulted in a “frenzied” attack.

Her body was discovered partially clothed on August 2 in an alleyway.

Diane’s belongings were later found close to where a small fire had been started – with a man seen running from the scene.

Mr Sullivan was said to have spent the day of the murder drinking heavily.

Following his arrest in September 1986, he was quizzed 22 times and denied legal advice in the first seven interviews – despite requesting it.

Mr Sullivan later “confessed to the murder” in an unrecorded interview a day after his arrest.

He then made a formal confession but the court was told this was “inconsistent with the facts established by the investigation”.

It also went against his earlier interviews, with Mr Sullivan retracting the admission later that day.

Since his conviction, questions have been raised about whether he had proper legal representation during his interviews.

Evidence related to bite marks on Diane’s body has also been called into question.

At the time of the case, DNA technology was not available and subsequent requests for new tests were refused.

Mr Sullivan first went to the CCRC for help in 2008 but they did not refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal.

He then launched his own appeal bid in 2019, which judges dismissed after ruling the bite mark evidence was not central to the prosecution at trial.

In 2021, Mr Sullivan went back to the CCRC and raised concerns over police interviews, the bite mark evidence and the murder weapon.

The independent body revealed Mr Sullivan’s DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.

This led Merseyside Police to confirm they were “carrying out an extensive investigation in a bid to identify who the new DNA profile belongs to”.

The force revealed they had no matches on the police database but were contacting people previously identified in the original probe to request new samples.

The Crown Prosecution Service yesterday told the Court of Appeal the new evidence was enough to cast “sufficient” doubt on the conviction.

It also agreed the fresh clue was “reliable” and that the CPS “does not seek to argue that this evidence is not capable of undermining the safety of Mr Sullivan’s conviction”.

Duncan Atkinson KC, for the CPS, said: “The respondent considers that there is no credible basis on which the appeal can be opposed, solely by reference to the DNA evidence.

“On the contrary, the DNA evidence provides a clear and uncontroverted basis to suggest that another person was responsible for both the sexual assault and the murder.

“As such, it positively undermines the circumstantial case against Mr Sullivan as identified at the time both of his trial and his 2021 appeal.”

The judge said: “Strong though the circumstantial evidence undoubtedly seemed at the trial, it is now necessary to take into account the new scientific evidence pointing to someone else – the unknown man.

“If the new evidence had been available in 1986, the evidence as a whole would have been regarded as insufficient.

“In the light of that evidence it is impossible to regard the appellant’s conviction as safe.”

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A MAN accused of beating a florist to death has been cleared in the UK’s longest-ever miscarriage of justice.

Peter Sullivan was jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years in 1987 for the murder of 21-year-old Diane Sindall in Bebington, Merseyside.

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The loner, who was 29 at the time, has spent the past 38 years maintaining his innocent and is now appealing his conviction for a third time.

It comes after new tests ordered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission revealed his DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.

His lawyers said that if his conviction is quashed, he would be the longest-serving victim of a miscarriage of justice in the UK.

The Crown Prosecution Service today told the Court of Appeal the new evidence is enough to cast “sufficient” doubt on the conviction.

It also agreed the fresh clue was “reliable” and that the CPS “does not seek to argue that this evidence is not capable of undermining the safety of Mr Sullivan’s conviction”.

Duncan Atkinson KC, for the CPS, said: “The respondent considers that there is no credible basis on which the appeal can be opposed, solely by reference to the DNA evidence.

“On the contrary, the DNA evidence provides a clear and uncontroverted basis to suggest that another person was responsible for both the sexual assault and the murder.

“As such, it positively undermines the circumstantial case against Mr Sullivan as identified at the time both of his trial and his 2021 appeal.”

Diane had just left her shift as a part-time barmaid at a pub in Bebington when her small blue van ran out of petrol.

She was making her way to a garage when she was beaten to death and sexually assaulted in a “frenzied” attack.

Her body was discovered partially clothed close to a grass verge.

Sullivan, who is watching the appeal from HMP Wakefield, was said to have spent the day of the murder drinking heavily.

Following his arrest in September 1986, he was quizzed 22 times and denied legal advice in the first seven interviews – despite requesting it.

Sullivan later “confessed to the murder” in an unrecorded interview a day after his arrest.

He then made a formal confession but the court was told this was “inconsistent with the facts established by the investigation“.

It also went against his earlier interviews, with Sullivan retracting the admission later that day.

Since his conviction, questions have been raised about whether he had proper legal representation during his interviews.

Evidence related to bite marks on Diane’s body has also been called into question.

At the time of the case, DNA technology was not available and subsequent requests for new tests were refused.

Sullivan first went to the CCRC for help in 2008 but they did not refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal.

He then launched his own appeal bid in 2019, which judges dismissed after ruling the bite mark evidence was not central to the prosecution at trial.

In 2021, Sullivan went back to the CCRC and raised concerns over police interviews, the bite mark evidence and the murder weapon.

The independent body revealed Sullivan’s DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.

This led Merseyside Police to confirm they were “carrying out an extensive investigation in a bid to identify who the new DNA profile belongs to”.

The force revealed they had no matches on the police database but were contacting people previously identified in the original probe to request new samples.

Sullivan’s barrister Jason Pitter KC today told the court that Diane’s murder was “a grotesque offence”.

But he argued that the evidence could not now pass “the threshold with which a prosecution could take place”.

While he accepted that improvements in science and the “passage of time” had “significantly assisted” Sullivan’s position, the new DNA evidence showed the killer “was not the defendant”.

He also explained the bite mark evidence, which the prosecution claimed matched Sullivan, was no longer viewed as reliable evidence of identification in criminal cases.

Mr Pitter told the court “significant admissions” and “incriminating statements” made by Sullivan at the time of the killing were “inherently unreliable” due to his “vulnerability”.

He added: “The appellant was extremely vulnerable in an interrogative situation, because of his limited intellectual functioning, combined with his problems with self-expression, his disposition to acquiesce, to yield, to be influenced, manipulated and controlled and his internal pressure to speak without reflection and his tendency to engage in make-believe to an extreme extent.

“What he was saying was nonsense, in plain terms.”