LAW chiefs met this week to discuss convicted killer Omar Benguit’s latest bid for freedom.

Commissioners from the Criminal Cases Review Commission sat down with the case review manager to discuss Benguit’s appeal application.

They have been reviewing the evidence from his trial, together with newly submitted information to make a decision as to whether his conviction is safe.

If they rule it was not, his case will be heard by the Court of Appeal.

Benguit, 39, was jailed for life in 2005 for the murder of South Korean language student Jong Oki Shin, known as Oki.

The 26-year-old was stabbed as she walked along Malmesbury Park Road in Charminster in the early hours of July 12, 2002.

Benguit was convicted of her murder at a third trial after two previous juries failed to reach a decision.

He has always protested his innocence and his bid for freedom intensified in June last year when Danilo Restivo was convicted of the murder of Heather Barnett in nearby Capstone Road on November 12 that same year.

Restivo was also convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Italian schoolgirl Elis Claps on September 12, 1993.

Benguit’s lawyers have handed over material to the CCRC in a bid to clear their client’s name.

This includes CCTV footage which puts into question the evidence of the main prosecution witness and a report from a pathologist who claims the knife used to kill Oki is “totally consistent” with the knife Danilo Restivo was found carrying while under police surveillance in 2004.

A CCRC spokesman said it was not unusual for the committee to meet several times during the review process.

He said: “They may decide there are still some lines of enquiry that need looking at, they may decide to refer to the Court of Appeal or they may take the decision they are not minded to refer the case. If that happens they will publish a provisional statement of reasons to give the applicant the opportunity to respond.”

He said the outcome of yesterday’s meeting would not be revealed immediately.

A representative from Benguit’s legal team said they were confident the commission had come to a decision and said a lot of work had been going on behind the scenes.