AUTHOR Peter James is to revisit the Babes in the Woods murders for a new true crime documentary.

Peter, 73, will star in the first episode of Once Upon a True Crime, a documentary series examining cold cases that were solved decades after the crime took place.

In a trailer for documentary, the Brighton-born crime writer reflects on killer Russell Bishops initial acquittal before his re-trial in 2018 under the double jeopardy law.

Peter says: “At the time Russell Bishop was acquitted, there was massive anger.

“I think initially the anger was at the police, and I think there was a sense of because it was a housing estate that maybe people didn’t care as much.

“So, there was a lot of anger at the police. I think there was a real sense of misjustice.

“My own personal feeling was that something horrible had gone wrong.

“I felt the darkness that day when I heard the verdict and then when I saw Bishop being paraded around Brighton like he was the local hero for getting off.

“It made me feel really, deeply disturbed.”

The documentary will air tonight at 9pm on Crime+ Investigation.

Bishop was jailed for a minimum of 36 years after being found guilty of killing nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway.

He was 20 years old when he sexually assaulted and strangled the girls in Wild Park, Brighton, in October 1986.

He was cleared of their murders on December 10, 1987, but within three years went on to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl, leaving her for dead at Devils Dyke.

While serving life for attempted murder, Bishop was ordered to face a fresh trial under the double jeopardy law, in light of a DNA breakthrough.

Bishop’s conviction brought to an end a long fight for justice for the two victims’ families.

He died in January.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “HMP Frankland prisoner Russell Bishop died in hospital on January 20. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed.”

It is understood he had cancer.