A CAMPAIGNING Prestwich journalist has blamed "sheer bureaucratic incompetence" for the failure to free a convicted murderer in time for Christmas.

Don Hale's comments came after a bid was dashed to release 44-year-old Stephen Downing pending a Court of Appeal hearing next month.

A bail application in the High Court a week ago was dismissed when the Crown Prosecution Service representative said he did not have enough time to read the paperwork.

Mr Hale has campaigned vigorously to free Downing, whom he believes was wrongly convicted of the murder of 32-year-old typist Wendy Sewell in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in 1973.

He has spent six years years investigating what he believes to be a travesty of justice which led to Downing being jailed for the killing. After his latest bid to free Downing failed, Mr Hale said: "We have made fantastic progress in this case.

"It has been made as difficult as possible by the police, prison and judicial service and the Government, but piece by piece we have challenged them."

Commenting on last week's failure of the bail application to free Downing for Christmas, Mr Hale continued: "I thought the CPS might have some trick or delaying tactic, but we had prepared our case thoroughly.

"I honestly did not expect that he would be denied his Christmas at home by sheer bureaucratic incompetence."

Mr Hale, former editor of the Bury Messenger and current editor of the Metlock Mercury, just a few miles from the Peak District town of Bakewell, has pursued Downing's case, which he views as a miscarriage of justice.