A man who has been in prison for the last 26 years for murdering a mother and her daughter has fresh hope that he could be freed after a new confession by Milly Dowler killer Levi Bellfield.
Michael Stone, 62, was handed a life sentence for the deaths of Lin and Megan Russell in 1996. Now, he says a statement by Bellfield contains information about the hammer attack only the killer would know.
Lin Russell, 45, her two daughters, nine-year-old Josie and Megan, six, as well as their dog Lucy, were tied up and savagely beaten with a hammer in the brutal attack in Chillenden, Kent, in 1996. Only Josie survived, sustaining horrific injuries.
It is the first time Bellfield has signed a written confession claiming responsibility for the killings of Lin and Megan, which follows a statement he later retracted. Twisted Bellfield last year claimed responsibility for the murders but later denied responsibility.
But he has now revealed more details about the killings in a new confession written at the start of the year.
His solicitor Theresa Clark said after he handed her a letter at the start of the year: "All I can say is that he accepts responsibility."
His bombshell revelations are now with the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which has been investigating Stone's conviction since 2017.
Stone was convicted after trials in 1998 and 2001 but has always denied involvement. He told the Mirror in an exclusive interview at HMP Frankland: "I've been in prison for 26 years for a crime I did not commit.
"I know that he [Bellfield] did those murders. He's just revealed some information recently that's come to me through lawyers. It's information that he would only know if he had done it."
He added: "His crimes have hurt a lot of people, not just the people he murdered and their families.
"Other people have been blamed [for Bellfield's crimes]."
The CCRC has yet to decide whether Stone's case should be referred to the Court of Appeal.
Submissions by his defence team since 2017 already included a four-page written confession to the killings by Bellfield from February last year.
But after the confession was publicised he then reportedly denied the attack, prompting claims it could have been part of a sick joke to "mess" with Stone.
Last June it was reported that the CCRC was set to find there was no forensic evidence to connect Bellfield to the crimes, and that evidence had emerged that cast doubt on the credibility of his confession.
Ms Clark said of the signed statement: "This is a new and more detailed one.
"The statement made last year was never signed by him but he's subsequently done a written statement which he's signed.
"That's been forwarded to the CCRC for their consideration in relation to the Stone appeal. It hasn't been sent to Kent Police because they say they have no interest in it.
"The police are going to see [Bellfield] in relation to a statement he made about Elizabeth Chau, and some other offences where nobody has died. They are all historic."
Bellfield killed 13-year-old schoolgirl Milly Dowler in Weybridge, Surrey, in 2002.
He murdered Marsha McDonnell, 19, near her home in Hampton, West London, in 2003 and French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, in 2004. He also attempted to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004.
The 54-year-old has also confessed to killing 19-year-old student Ms Chau in 1999 in Ealing, London.
Stone had served time in prison before, with convictions for robbery, burglary, GBH and assault. "From my point of view I think [Bellfield has] lived with a lot of stuff...for a long time," Stone said. "I think it's built up and he wants to get it off his chest."
Stone's sister Barbara, 61, said of the development: "Bellfield continues to confess to the [Chillenden] crime, providing more details each time he makes a statement.
"I'm not surprised he's confessing to other murders.
"If he got away with that in 1996 he probably thought he could do what he liked until he got caught.
"Bellfield knew the area, and eyewitnesses saw him in Chillenden village on the day. The whole Bellfield evidence should be tested in court."
In the confession letter from last February, Bellfield described wearing "bright yellow Marigold gloves" during the attack, pulling out onto the road in front of another driver and later throwing the hammer in the Thames before flying to Turkey.
Following the confession, two witnesses allegedly came forward and said they saw him at the scene.
The CCRC review is analysing the confession and evidence such as a boot lace which was found at the scene but went missing for 14 years in police storage.
It was hoped a knot in the lace might contain DNA yielding the killer's identity, but no trace was found from Bellfield, Stone or any potential suspect, it emerged last year.
Stone was arrested a year after Lin and Megan's murders on unrelated charges, when he is alleged to have confessed to fellow prisoner Damien Daley in Canterbury prison.
Barry Thompson, another prisoner who provided evidence supporting Daley's account, admitted post-trial that he had made up a conversation with Stone under pressure from police.
In a 2001 retrial, Stone was convicted by a 10-2 majority but was given leave to appeal in 2005, which was unsuccessful.
Former nightclub bouncer Bellfield is currently serving two life terms, also in Frankland.
The Mirror helped nail Bellfield for the murder of Milly as the case was going cold.
He admitted in a 2009 phone interview while in prison for the murders of Ms Delagrange and Ms McDonnell to being behind the wheel of a red Daewoo car linked to the 13-year-old's murder.
The information would later be used as vital evidence in the police case against him.
A CCRC spokesman said of Stone's case: "This case is currently under review and no final decision has yet been reached on the application."
The Mirror has contacted Kent Police for comment.
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