A father-of-two may seek to claim a life insurance policy on the wife he was cleared of murdering seven years ago, it has been revealed.

Keith Hall, 44, of Pudsey, was acquitted of killing his 39-year-old wife Patricia in March 1994 after the trial judge ruled that his alleged confession to the crime to an undercover policewoman was inadmissible as evidence. He was alleged to have killed her after a row and disposed of the body. Mr Hall said she had driven off in the family car and he has not seen her since. No trace of Mrs Hall has ever been found.

Now reports in a national newspaper reveal that he is seeking to cash in her insurance policy and is trying to transfer his Pudsey home into his sole ownership.

The whereabouts of Mrs Hall have never been established. Her family failed in a bid to have her legally declared dead after the High Court upheld a decision by the Home Secretary to turn down requests for an inquest. Because no death certificate for Mrs Hall has ever been issued, any life insurance claim would be difficult.

Mr Hall today confirmed that he was looking into pursuing a £100,000 life assurance policy claim in his wife's name.

"I can't be accused of cashing in on a crime when it has been proven it is something I didn't do. I spent 12 months in prison and it has ruined my life ever since, where's the compensation for that?"

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.