Murder case son can appeal

The younger son of "domineering" teacher Eve Howells, who was battered to death by her elder son after subjecting the boys to years of abuse, was yesterday granted leave to appeal against his conviction of taking part in the murder.

The Court of Appeal said John Howells, 17, had grounds for arguing that the judge at his Leeds Crown Court trial a year ago had wrongly withdrawn from the jury the question of whether he had acted under provocation.