Sean Hodgson, released after 27 years

Sean Hodgson, one of Britain's longest serving prisoners, is expected to be freed by the court of plea today after DNA analysis propose he was mistakenly convicted 27 years ago of the rape and murder of Teresa de Simone. If Hodgson is freed, it will mark the end of one of Britain's lengthiest miscarriages of justice. Hodgson, also known as Robert, was caught responsible in 1982 of strangling De Simone, a 22-year-old part-time barmaid. Her cadaver was found semi-naked in her car outside a bar in Southampton after she was strangled to death with her gold crucifix necklace in December 1979.

Hodgson has spent much of his captivity in the psychiatric section of HMP Albany, on the Isle of Wight. Lesser than 10 other people have currently served longer in jail, together with the police slaughterer Harry Roberts and the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe. The longest serving victim of the a miscarriage of justice in Britain is thought to be Stephen Downing, who was jailed for 27 years for thumping typist Wendy Sewell to death in Bakewell, but was released in 2002.