BBC apologises to mother of murdered schoolgirl after losing daughter's clothing
Video report by ITV News Meridian's James Dunham
An apology has been issued to the mother of a schoolgirl murdered in Sussex, after the BBC admitted losing clothing belonging to her daughter.
Schoolgirls Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows, both aged nine, were murdered in Brighton's Wild Park in 1986.
Michelle Hadaway, handed over items worn by her daughter to the journalist Martin Bashir in the hope of bringing justice.
With the clothes still missing 30 years later, the corporation now says it is "appalled" and "extremely sorry".
Paul Cheston has stayed in contact with the families of Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows and has a written a book on the 1986 murders.
Mr Cheston said: "Michelle thinks this is a half-hearted apology which could have been produced 30 years ago.
"This was an astonishing betrayal. There's no question that the Hadaways put their faith in this man - to trust him with the clothing of their dead daughter, the clothing their daughter last wore when they saw her alive.
"This is a horrendous nightmare, on top of losing the life of a young daughter in the most brutal and disgusting circumstances, now she's left with nothing to show of what her child meant to her at the time, her clothing has gone."
Russell Bishop was jailed for at least 36 years for their murders in December 2018.
The 52-year-old convicted paedophile was 20 years old when he sexually assaulted and strangled the girls in a woodland den in Brighton in October 1986.
He was cleared of their murders on December 10 1987, but within three years went on to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl, leaving her for dead at Devils Dyke.
While serving life for attempted murder, Bishop was ordered to face a fresh trial under the double jeopardy law in light of a DNA breakthrough.
A Pinto sweatshirt discarded on Bishop's route home was linked to the defendant by DNA, while fibre, paint and ivy transfers placed it at the scene.
Tests on a sample from Karen's left forearm also revealed a "one in a billion" DNA match to Bishop.
Bishop responded by trying to cast suspicion on Nicola’s devastated father Barrie.
He tailored his evidence to counter the new forensic evidence, claiming to have touched the bodies to feel for a pulse after they were found by two 18-year-olds.
But jurors took just one hour and 39 minutes to see through the web of lies and convict Bishop on the "overwhelming" evidence on the 31st anniversary of his acquittal.
Bishop refused to attend court for his sentencing at the Old Bailey.
Karen Hadaway's mother Michelle Hadaway was approached by BBC journalist Martin Bashir in 1991.
Mr Bashir said Karen's clothes would be DNA sampled for a programme.
No documentary was ever produced and Mr Bashir has previously said he does not remember what happened to the items.
The BBC said it previously commissioned a review into the whereabouts of Karen Hadaway's clothing and that it deeply regretted not being able to provide any answers to her family.