Hoogstraten acts to free friends jailed for murder

Multi-millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten is throwing his wealth behind a legal bid to free two men jailed for life for murdering his business rival.

He was freed earlier this year after being convicted of ordering the killing of Mohammed Raja, shot and stabbed to death at his Sutton home.

Last week he successfully overturned an award of £5million compensation to Mr Raja's family and more than £1million in fines imposed for contempt.

Now Mr Hoogstraten, 59, wants freedom for his old friend Robert Knapp, whom he calls "Uncle Bob", and has a criminal history of violence. He says he is also gathering evidence to demolish the case against fellow hitman David Croke. He claims he has a forensic report which was never used in the 2002 Old Bailey trial which resulted in Croke and Knapp being convicted of murder and Mr Hoogstraten found guilty of manslaughter. "They will be free within months," he said.

Mr Hoogstraten has always maintained his innocence. His conviction for manslaughter was quashed on the grounds that the trial judge had misdirected the jury. A second trial collapsed due to insufficient evidence.