TV detective Ray Winstone investigates real-life murder

The actor investigated the murder of 21-year-old trainee chef Essayas Kassahun for ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

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Real-life crime: Ray Winstone who plays TV sleuth Vincent investigated the real-life murder of trainee chef Essayas Kassahun for ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald

Ray, 50, who plays a private eye in Vincent, believes a teenager may have been wrongly convicted of the street killing.

Mr Kassahun, an Ethiopian refugee, was fatally stabbed in the head while helping a friend attacked by a 40-strong mob in in Clerkenwell, central London, in 2004.

Bullabek Ringbiong, 20, and Sam Hallam, 18, both from Hoxton, east London, were jailed for life for murder.

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Convicted: Bullabek Ringbiong, 20, and Sam Hallam, 18, both from Hoxton, east London were jailed for life for murder but Winstone said he found gaps in the evidence

But Ray, whose nephew Bobby Hopwood is Mr Hallam's best friend, said he found gaps in the evidence.

He said: "I've gone through all the paperwork, I've looked at all the evidence, I've looked at photographs, I've spoken to people.

"I cannot for the life of me, putting myself in the place of a juror, see how I can come to the conclusion of guilty.

"There were no forensics to link Sam to the crime and no CCTV of him even being in the area."

During the trial, witnesses gave conflicting accounts of whether Mr Hallam was at the scene. Others said he definitely was not there.

Mr Hallam's barrister Robert Fortune told the programme: "If two people who were there can't say they were sure it was Sam Hallam, how can a jury?"

A campaign to free Mr Hallam was launched by his family and friends in April following a failed appeal.

His family are now lobbying the Criminal Cases Review Commission to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal.

The Metropolitan Police said officers stand by the decision of the court. A spokesman said: "The case was thoroughly investigated, reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service and presented before a jury who found two defendants guilty.

"Sam Hallam lodged a notice of appeal with the appeal Court which was unsuccessful. We respect the decision of the jury and the Court of Appeal."

• Tonight With Trevor McDonald will be broadcast on ITV1 at 8pm tonight.