A couple jailed for killing a Maldon kebab shop owner have been cleared of the charges.

Serena and Vedat Kayretli, 26, formerly of Dryden Close, Maldon, were jailed in December 1998 for the killing of Fevzi Demir.

His body was discovered encased in concrete behind his High Street shop, BMT Takeaway, in 1997 after its new owners brought builders in to do some work.

Now Mrs Kayretli, 22 - who has since divorced Vedat - has been released from Holloway Prison, where she was serving a six-year sentence after her conviction was ruled to be unsafe.

Prosecutors decided against launching another trial after her appeal was heard in the High Court.

Her solicitor Christine Plampin said Vedat Kayretli, who was serving an eight-year sentence, was also released because the jury had ruled they had acted together and the crime was a "joint venture".

Vedat Kayretli had been jailed for six years for manslaughter but received a further two for concealing Mr Demir's body and preventing it from having a lawful burial.

He was also given 12 months to run concurrently for using a false instrument, stealing Mr Demir's BMW car and obtaining property by deception by selling the car for £700.

Mrs Plampin said Vedat was arrested immediately on his release from prison and deported back to his native Turkey.

Mrs Plampin said the conviction had been ruled unsafe because of problems with a witness.

"Serena has been completely exonerated and now she just wants to get on with her life. She has come back to Maldon because she wants to be re-united with her children and we are currently working on making that happen," she said.

Mrs Kayretli has a daughter from a previous relationship and a two-year-old son by her ex-husband.

"She is distressed as to what has happened to her over the last two years. She has been through an awful trauma for such a young woman.

"We just hope now she has been completely cleared she can get on with her life," said Mrs Plampin.

Mrs Kayretli's mother, Jill Philip, who has been looking after the children, said: "We are pleased with the outcome of the hearing. We are glad all charges have been dropped."

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