Judges grant Stone appeal

LONDON, England -- The man convicted of murdering Lin Russell and her daughter Megan, has won the right to challenge his conviction.

Three judges in London indicated on Tuesday they would allow the appeal after the prosecution accepted Barry Thompson, a key witness at the original trial, was unreliable.

Stone was given three life sentences in 1998 for the two murders and the attempted murder of Lin's other daughter, Josie, now 14, who survived the 1996 attack despite suffering horrific head injuries.

Lin and Megan died from severe head injuries after being attacked in a country lane near their home in Chillenden village, Kent, southeast England.

Stone, 40, of Gillingham, Kent, will remain in custody pending deliberation by the court on Thursday about whether to order a retrial.

The court also ordered a journalist with the Daily Mail newspaper to hand over recordings of conversations with Thompson.

The announcement came on the second day of Stone's appeal before Lord Justice Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice Maurice Kay and Mrs Justice Hallett at London's Law Courts.

The appeal court's decision followed the prosecution's acceptance that it could no longer rely on Thompson as a "witness of truth."

Stone's counsel, William Clegg QC, said: "The prosecution stated ... that having considered all the material now before the court for the purpose of the appeal, the Crown cannot seek to rely on Barry Thompson as a witness of truth."

Stone could be free later this week if the court does not order a re-trial.

The Court Service in England and Wales

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