BRITAIN: Former deputy headteacher Sion Jenkins was ordered to be released on bail yesterday after spending more than six years in jail for the alleged murder of his foster daughter, Billie-Jo.
He was given conditional bail, with a £300,000 surety, pending his retrial for the teenager's murder, during a short hearing at London's Old Bailey.
His father, Mr David Jenkins, said he did not know where or when his son would be released but he expected he would want "space, time and silence" afterwards.
Sion Jenkins (46), was jailed for life six years ago for murder - but his conviction was quashed last month.
He is due to be retried at the Old Bailey following an appeal court ruling that new forensic evidence made his original conviction unsafe.
Mr Jenkins is believed to be currently in Belmarsh Prison, south London.
He was expected to be released from there - but his father said today that he did not know his exact whereabouts.
His barrister, Ms Clare Montgomery QC, had made the application to free him on bail to prepare for his retrial.
The hearing, before Mrs Justice Rafferty, was held in chambers without the press or public being allowed in.
Mr Jenkins was convicted at Lewes Crown Court in July 1998 of battering his 13-year-old foster daughter to death with an 18-inch metal tent spike as she was painting a patio door at their home in Hastings, East Sussex, on February 15th, 1997.
Mr Jenkins snr said: "Sion has been allowed bail between now and the time of the retrial and the court had set out certain conditions as to where he can live, what he can do and where he can go.
"I think what he will need when he does come out is space, time and silence after six-and-a-half years in prison. Therefore, between now and the retrial, there will not be any more statements made.
"We are absolutely delighted that Sion has been allowed bail. It is another step, after seven years, towards getting justice. - (PA)