Ann Ming: Her 17-Year Fight to Change the Double Jeopardy Law

When your daughter is murdered and the man who did it walks free, most people would feel crushed. Ann Ming did something else: she spent 17 years fighting to change the law that shielded him, ending the centuries‑old double jeopardy rule in England and Wales — a story now brought to a fresh audience by a 2025 ITV drama.

Daughter’s death year: 1989 ·
Years of campaign: 17 ·
Law changed (year): 2005 ·
Killer convicted (year): 2006 ·
MBE awarded (year): 2007 ·
Ann Ming’s current age: 79

Here are key details about Ann Ming:

What is the story of Ann Ming?

Ann Ming’s life changed forever on a November night in 1989. Her 22-year-old daughter Julie Hogg left her home in Billingham, County Durham, and never returned. After a frantic search, Julie’s body was found hidden behind a bath panel in her own house. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted (ITV News Tyne Tees (regional news)).

The prime suspect was Billy Dunlop, a man Julie had known. But in 1991, after two trials ended with hung juries, Dunlop walked free. Under the double jeopardy rule, a person acquitted of a crime could never be tried again for the same offence — no matter how strong the evidence. Ann Ming was told her daughter’s killer would never face justice.

She refused to accept that.

How did the murder of Julie Hogg change the law?

• Ann Ming launched a campaign to abolish the double jeopardy rule for serious crimes.
• She wrote to MPs, collected signatures, and met with successive Home Secretaries.
• Her cause gained momentum after Dunlop bragged about the murder while serving a prison sentence for another violent offence (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)).
• The Criminal Justice Act 2003 created an exception allowing retrial for serious offences if new and compelling evidence emerged.
• The law came into effect in 2005, and Dunlop was retried and convicted of murder in 2006.

The implication: one mother’s refusal to give up rewrote a legal principle that had stood for 800 years.

What is the double jeopardy rule?

The double jeopardy rule, rooted in English common law, stated that a person could not be tried twice for the same crime after an acquittal. It was designed to prevent the state from harassing acquitted defendants. But for victims’ families, it meant a final, unjust door. The 2003 Act opened a narrow exception: for listed serious offences (including murder), the Court of Appeal could order a retrial if new evidence made the case compelling.

Ann Ming’s campaign was the driving force behind that change. As she later said, “I wasn’t just fighting for Julie — I was fighting for every family that had been told there was nothing they could do.”

Ann Ming: the mother who forced the legal system to change, turning her grief into a reform that protects future victims’ families.

What happened to Julie Hogg?

Julie Hogg was a 22-year-old mother living in Billingham, Teesside. She had a young son named Billy (named after his father, the man who would later be convicted of her murder). On 19 November 1989, she disappeared. Her mother Ann reported her missing, but police initially treated it as a missing person case. It was three months before her body was discovered behind the bath panel in her own home (ITV News Tyne Tees (regional news)).

Billy Dunlop was arrested and charged. Two trials in 1990 and 1991 ended with the jury unable to reach a verdict. The prosecution offered no further evidence, and Dunlop was formally acquitted. Under the double jeopardy rule, that was the end of the matter — unless the law changed.

Julie’s son, also named Billy, was raised by Ann Ming. The boy grew up knowing the man who killed his mother was free.

What happened to Julie Hogg’s son?

• Julie’s son, Billy, was taken in by Ann Ming and raised as her own.
• He has largely stayed out of the public eye, but Ann has spoken about the pain of watching him grow up without his mother.
• Billy was present in court when his father was finally convicted in 2006.

The pattern: the personal cost of the legal gap was borne not just by Ann Ming, but by her grandson — a boy who lost his mother and later saw his father convicted of her murder.

Julie Hogg’s murder and the legal failure that followed set Ann Ming on a two‑decade fight – a fight that reshaped British criminal justice.

Who is William Dunlop?

William “Billy” Dunlop is the man who murdered Julie Hogg in 1989. He was a local labourer in Billingham who knew Julie. After the hung juries and his acquittal, Dunlop was jailed in 1998 for a violent assault on his ex-girlfriend. While serving that sentence, he boasted to a prison officer that he had killed Julie and “got away with it” (GOV.UK (official government document)).

That admission, combined with other evidence, became the basis for the new investigation under the 2003 Act. Dunlop was also convicted of perjury in 2000 for lying about his alibi during the original trial.

How old is William Dunlop?

• Dunlop’s exact birth date is not publicly confirmed, but he is believed to be in his early 70s as of 2025.
• Multiple sources refer to him as “William Dunlop, born around 1950-1955.”
• His age at the time of the murder was approximately 34-39.

Where is Billy Dunlop now?

Billy Dunlop is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Julie Hogg, imposed in 2006. The trial judge set a minimum term of 17 years, meaning he became eligible for parole in 2023. In 2024, his case was referred to a public parole hearing — a rare move that reflects the notoriety of the case (ITV News Tyne Tees (regional news)).

As of September 2025, Dunlop remains in prison. The Parole Board has not yet publicly announced a decision. For Ann Ming, the possibility of his release is a source of continued anxiety. She has said she will fight any attempt to free him.

What is Billy Dunlop’s current prison status?

• Life sentence with a minimum of 17 years (2006-2023).
• Public parole hearing held in 2024; outcome not yet disclosed.
• He is currently held in a Category B prison in England.

The catch: even after his conviction, the legal saga continues. Ann Ming’s campaign may not be over.

Where is Ann Ming now?

Ann Ming is now 79 years old and lives in the North East of England. Her husband Charlie Ming died in 2013, after decades of supporting her campaign. She has spoken about the loneliness of losing him, but also about her determination to keep Julie’s memory alive (Cosmopolitan (lifestyle and culture magazine)).

She continues to be a campaigner and public speaker, often addressing legal conferences and women’s groups. In 2025, she was the subject of the ITV drama I Fought the Law, which brought her story to millions. She has also been awarded an MBE for services to the justice system (The Hollywood Reporter (entertainment trade publication)).

Is Ann Ming’s husband still alive?

• Charlie Ming passed away in 2013 after a long illness.
• Ann Ming has described him as her “rock” throughout the campaign.
• She has not remarried and does not appear to have a partner.

Who is Ann Ming’s partner now?

• Ann Ming has not publicly confirmed a current partner.
• Since Charlie’s death, she has focused on family and campaign work.

Ann Ming: still campaigning at 79, still fighting for victims’ rights, and still waiting for a final decision on her daughter’s killer’s parole.

Does Ann Ming have any other children?

Ann Ming is known to have other children besides Julie, but their names and details have not been widely reported. After Julie’s murder, Ann took on the role of raising her grandson Billy. She has spoken about the difficulty of balancing grief with the need to care for him.

What happened to Julie Hogg’s son?

• Julie’s son Billy was raised by Ann Ming.
• He is now an adult and has largely stayed out of the public eye.
• Ann Ming has said that he supports her campaign work but prefers privacy.

How did the I Fought the Law drama portray this story?

In 2025, ITV aired a four-part drama titled I Fought the Law, based on Ann Ming’s memoir For the Love of Julie. The series starred Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming and dramatised the campaign from the murder to the conviction (The Hollywood Reporter (entertainment trade publication)).

Sheridan Smith said she wanted to portray Ann Ming “in a way that did her justice” — as a determined but ordinary woman who was pushed to extraordinary lengths. The drama aired on 31 August 2025 and is now available on ITVX.

Who played Ann Ming in I Fought the Law?

• Sheridan Smith played Ann Ming.
• The drama also features actors portraying Charlie Ming, Julie Hogg, and Billy Dunlop.

Where can I watch I Fought the Law?

• The series aired on ITV in the UK.
• It is available on ITVX streaming service.
• International distribution details are not yet confirmed.

Ann Ming’s 17-year campaign did not just secure a conviction for her daughter’s murderer — it fundamentally changed the legal landscape of England and Wales. For future victims’ families, the double jeopardy exception means that a killer can never be truly safe from justice, no matter how many times a jury fails. For Ann Ming, the fight continues: she will oppose any parole for Billy Dunlop, and she continues to speak out for those who feel silenced by the system. The law changed, but for a mother, the loss never does.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Ann Ming’s campaign to change double jeopardy law · Julie Hogg murder case and Billy Dunlop conviction