A FORMER detective who investigated the death of Preston law student Janet Murgatroyd has expressed his disappointment with the Court of Appeal's decision to free the man convicted of killing her.

Appeal judges in London said it was "impossible" to hold the manslaughter conviction of Andrew Greenwood, 30, of Lostock Hall, near Preston, as "safe".

Greenwood was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court last year after being convicted of causing the death of the 20-year-old.

Janet was attacked and killed on Sunday June 16, 1996, while walking home from a night out.

On August 2, 1999, Greenwood, then aged 25 and a stranger to Janet, told police he murdered her three years previously, following a chance encounter. Greenwood was tried in October 2002, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict. At a retrial in June last year he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years by Mr Justice Holland.

On Friday, May 28, Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Waller, said the main ground of appeal related to a ruling by Mr Justice Holland that "certain admissions and other evidence" about Janet's boyfriend, which formed part of the evidence at the first trial, were not admissible evidence relevant to the issue of Greenwood's confession.

Ex-detective Graham Gooch, who led the Murgatroyd investigation, said: "I am very disappointed the appeal was allowed to be heard in the first place.

"It was not because of any lack of evidence, merely because the trial judge erred. He should have allowed evidence about the ex-boyfriend, the defence used this to cloud the water.

"We could prove the ex-boyfriend didn't do it."

The judges said there was no evidence other than the confessions to connect Greenwood to the crime.

Peter Roberts, Greenwood's solicitor, said: "Andrew Philip Greenwood is now a free man and looking forward to re-building the rest of his life."

A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said the case would remain closed.