A man who spent 27 years in prison for a Southampton murder he did not commit has died, three years after being released.

Sean Hodgson, 61, from County Durham, was sentenced to life in 1979 for killing Teresa De Simone, 22, in Southampton.

In 2009, his conviction was quashed after advances in DNA testing showed he was innocent and another man, now dead, was the likely murderer.

Mr Hodgson was one of the UK's longest serving miscarriage of justice victims.

His solicitor described his death from emphysema as very sad.

Julian Young said Mr Hodgson, originally from Tow Law, had found life difficult after spending so long in prison.

He received substantial damages but struggled to cope with life on the outside, he added.

In May 2011 Mr Hodgson, then living in Willington, was given a community order with supervision at Durham Crown Court, after sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman.

For all the videos and background to the Teresa De Simone murder and to find out who did kill her click here