THE family of the man jailed for the murder of pregnant mum Christine Askey have vowed to clear his name.

Huma Mirza, 24, says her brother Waseem is a man of "good character" who does not deserve to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

She claims crucial points and evidence in the defence's case were disregarded at the trial in Preston Crown Court.

Mirza, 30, is now serving a life sentence after being found guilty of strangling 20-year-old Christine, who was pregnant with twins, in the bath at her Preston home.

But defence lawyer QC Mucktar Hussain says there was no evidence to place Mirza at Christine's house at the time of the murder.

The Mirza family argue that there is unidentified evidence to prove Waseem's innocence including semen found on a t-shirt discovered in Christine's house in Nevett Street, Preston, and hairs found in the bath which were not identified.

Huma says wool strands found on Christine's body and in her house failed to link Waseem to the crime and said that her brother is allergic to wool.

And the family believe that he could not have strangled Christine with his right hand, as the pathologist suggested, because he is left-handed and had an injury to his right arm prior to the murder.

Huma said: "A young mother has been tragically murdered, our condolences go out to her family, but Waseem Mirza did not kill her.

"Waseem's whole family is distraught and in disbelief."

The prosecution said Mirza murdered Christine after she claimed that he was the father of her unborn twins and three-year-old son Cameron.