The identity of a key person of interest in the disappearance of a British girl more than 50 years ago has been revealed by an Australian politician.
A member of New South Wales Legislative Council used parliamentary privilege to name the man known as Mercury, whose identity is protected by law. The BBC has chosen not to name him.
Three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer was abducted from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in 1970. Despite extensive searches, there were no leads.
Then in 2017, Mercury was charged with Cheryl's abduction and murder after officers discovered a confession made by a teenager in 1971. But a judge ruled it was inadmissible and the case was dropped. Mercury says he is innocent.
In parliament on Thursday, Jeremy Buckingham read out Mercury's teenage confession and called for a new investigation into Cheryl's murder.
