POLICE are to review the way their interviews are conducted, following the dramatic collapse of the case against a man who twice confessed to killing David Williamson.

James Payling, 20, of Kirkgate, Ripon, had been accused of murdering Mr Williamson near to his home in Sutton-on-the-Forest in March 2001.

But after more than three days of legal argument at Leeds Crown Court, the prosecution offered no evidence and a formal not guilty verdict was entered by Mr Justice Royce, despite him saying earlier that there were "quite strong" indications that Payling had killed Mr Williamson. The judge ruled on Wednesday that a confession made by Mr Payling on January 13, 2002, was inadmissible, because a caution had not been in place from the start of the conversation, and certain forms were not signed.

The confession was made under the "cell intervention" technique when officers were speaking to Mr Payling in his police cell about a number of other criminal matters.

Mr Justice Royce also ruled that a separate confession, made

two days later, was inadmissible, because of the flaws under which the first confession was obtained.

Mr Justice Royce called on North Yorkshire Police to re-examine its interview techniques.

"Cell intervention" was not an appropriate method for interviewing someone admitting to

involvement in a serious crime, he said.

He said: "It may necessitate further training and consideration by the North Yorkshire force if problems of the sort encountered in this case are not to be repeated. It is fundamental, it is common ground, that when there are grounds to suspect a person of an offence he must be cautioned."

North Yorkshire police spokesman Tony Lidgate said the force noted and accepted the court's decision, and would review its interview procedures in the light of that decision.

"We emphasise that the officers involved have acted with total integrity." He said the file would remain open and the police were ready at any time to consider any fresh evidence that came to light.

The discovery of Mr Williamson's body by the roadside in Sutton in March 2001 sparked a lengthy police investigation, including DNA testing of residents in Sutton and Huby.

Updated: 10:57 Friday, July 25, 2003