THE family of a former policeman jailed for the murder of a teenage

girl claimed yesterday that a witness now living in Australia could

clear his name and implicate the real killer.

Former policeman Alex Hall, 38, has served more than six years of a

life sentence for the murder of 18-year-old Lorna Porter 10 years ago.

Her body was found in Bellshill. Three and a half years after the

killing, Hall was convicted of her murder at the High Court in Glasgow.

But his brother, Donald, of Drumchapel, Glasgow, who is fighting to

get the case reopened, said a woman with vital testimony which could

have cleared Hall was not called to give evidence. The woman, who used

to work with the dead girl, has since emigrated to Australia.

Glasgow lawyer Michael McSherry said he was trying to make

arrangements to have the woman give a sworn statement.

''This evidence was never properly investigated at the time. It was a

highly emotive case. If we can provide the evidence, the next stage will

be to ask the Crown Office to investigate, but we are taking it one step

at a time,'' he said.

Alex Hall was largely convicted on a confession he made to police. But

his brother said: ''He is innocent. He won't take parole if it is

offered because to do so he would have to admit his guilt.

''He told me he will stay in prison for the rest of his life if

necessary rather than admit to it.