SUPPORTERS of convicted wife murderer Nicholas Tucker have been granted another 28 days to try and prove his innocence.Following a provisional decision by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) not to send Tucker's case back to the appeal courts, the former RAF officer has applied for more time to persuade them otherwise.

SUPPORTERS of convicted wife murderer Nicholas Tucker have been granted another 28 days to try and prove his innocence.

Following a provisional decision by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) not to send Tucker's case back to the appeal courts, the former RAF officer has applied for more time to persuade them otherwise.

Tucker, currently serving a life sentence in Cardiff for murdering his wife Carol, now has until mid November to present evidence he considers the CCRC has missed.

The commission will then reach a final decision as to what should happen to the case of the former Squadron Leader, jailed in 1997 after a jury at Norwich Crown Court found him guilty of murdering his 52-year-old wife when their car crashed into the River Lark, at Icklingham.

If they reject his arguments of innocence the only avenue left will be to apply to the courts for leave to apply for a judicial review into the way the CCRC came to its recommendation.

Only four people have ever been successful in seeking leave to apply for a judicial review, a spokesman for the CCRC said, and none of those were successful.

The spokesman added that the length of time it takes to make the final decision would depend on the new evidence presented after the extension period.

"When presented with the provisional decision it might present them (the applicant) with things they feel they should respond to.

"It depends on the complexity of their arguments as to how long a final decision will take after that," he added.

Tucker's fiercest supporter, fiancée Jenny Peacock, said the provisional verdict had made them even more determined to prove his innocence and he was currently working on his case to go before the CCRC.

"Nick is very fired up at the moment and is setting out his case again," she said.

Tucker's case was given high profile support when it was taken up by the Channel 4's Trial and Error television programme.

Miss Peacock said part of their battle was to persuade the CCRC to take account of the new evidence thrown up by the programme.

"We feel we are hitting our head against a brick wall – we get so far and are just pushed back again," she added.