Mother bailed before appeal hearing

A mother who claims she was wrongly convicted of killing her two children was released on bail today to await the hearing of a fresh appeal.

A Court of Appeal judge in London heard that the Crown did not intend to oppose Donna Anthony's appeal, although it will be for the court to decide whether her convictions should be quashed.

Anthony, 31, was jailed for life in 1998 at Bristol Crown Court for murdering her 11-month-old daughter Jordan and four-month-old son Michael.

The case against her relied on evidence from paediatrician Professor Sir Roy Meadow, whose evidence in other cases has been discredited.

Anthony, of Yeovil, Somerset, always claimed both children were victims of cot death and not smothering as alleged by the prosecution, but her original appeal in June 2000 was dismissed.

Last month the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said it was sending her case back to the Court of Appeal after considering "new expert medical evidence".