Evil killer who kidnapped girl, 7, from garden tent before throwing her body into the sea makes fresh bid for freedom
A PAEDOPHILE who kidnapped, raped and murdered a seven-year-old girl has made a fresh bid for freedom.
Sophie Hook's body was found on Llandudno beach in North Wales on the morning of July 30, 1995.
The Cheshire schoolgirl disappeared while camping in the garden of her uncle's nearby home the previous night.
Howard Hughes raped Sophie twice before strangling her and throwing her body into the sea.
He was arrested for the murder soon afterwards and sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty in July 1996.
Now aged 59, Hughes, who is currently incarcerated at HMP Full Sutton, is making a fresh attempt to overturn his conviction.
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He has hired a new legal team, according to The Mirror.
A source said: "Hughes has never accepted his guilt. He spends his time in maximum security HMP Full Sutton telling anyone who will listen that he didn't do it.
"But it would take something spectacular to overturn his conviction."
The Sun has approached the Parole Board for comment.
Hughes has previously attempted to have his case reviewed in 1998, 2004 and 2017.
They were all rejected by the Criminal Case Review Commission due to the lack of any real prospect of overturning the verdict.
Hughes's new legal representatives are scouring the files from his 1996 trial for new evidence.
Sophie, from Great Budworth, was abducted while sleeping in a tent during a kids' sleepover in her uncle's backyard in Llandudno on July 30, 1995.
The perpetrator, known by his nickname "Mad Howard", had been lurking and eavesdropping on the children earlier that day.
He leered at young girls around Llandudno before attempting to kidnap another child who fortunately escaped.
Hours after the children settled for the night he snatched Sophie as she slept.
Her body was tragically discovered the next morning on Llandudno beach.
The culprit, originating from Colwyn Bay, was no stranger to law enforcement with prior allegations of sexual offences against children.
He was apprehended shortly after the crime and confessed to his father: "I did it, dad, I must tell somebody.
"I have been sexually frustrated since 1990."
At trial, despite his defence pointing out the lack of forensic evidence due to the probability of seawater washing it away, he was convicted.
Upon sentencing him to life imprisonment, Judge Richard Curtis condemned him with the words: "You are a fiend.
"Your crimes are every parent's worst nightmare. My recommendation is that you are never, never, ever released. Take him down."
Hughes was informed that he must serve a minimum of 50 years.
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Sophie's mother Julie spoke of their irreplaceable loss: "Sophie was, and always will be, to us a vivacious, fun-loving, extremely popular, beautiful, intelligent child.
"No child could have received or given more love to us."
