The Murder of Billie-Jo

Billie-Jo Jenkins was murdered at her home in Sussex in February 1997. Her foster father, Siôn Jenkins, who has just been appointed headteacher of the local boys' secondary school, was arrested and charged with the murder. In July 1998 he was convicted and sent to prison for life. The case went on to become one of the greatest causes célèbres in British criminal justice history. Everyone knew about the Billie-Jo murder and seemed to have their own views about whether Jenkins was guilty or innocent. After a momentous legal battle, in which there were altogether an unprecedented six court hearings, he was finally acquitted in February 2006-not that that outcome was as satisfactory as it seems. Having already faced three criminal trials, Jenkins had to undergo a fourth trial-a trial by the media. At what should have been his moment of triumph, he was lambasted in newspaper and television reports. So the real facts of the case were buried under an avalanche of innuendo and misinformation. Now, for the first time, this book puts on record what actually happened, and explains the whole story from the beginning.