We won't give up: Parents' vow after son loses appeal over wife's murder

Evans, aged 37, is serving life for killing his wife Louise, who was found at the bottom of the stairs of their family home in Stoney Lane, Kidderminster, in July 2012.

He lost his bid for freedom last week after top judges at London's Appeal Court rejected his claim an 'intruder' could have killed his wife.

But his parents, who live in Stourport, remain adamant their son is not a killer and have vowed to continue fighting until he is released.

Their efforts to have their son freed have engulfed their lives since he was jailed. They have spent around £25,000 in legal fees and have stopped working because of the strain the battle has put on them.

Sue admitted losing the appeal came as a huge blow.

"We thought we had a case. Our lives have been wrecked, our family's lives have been wrecked."

The case is now expected to be taken to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), but with the appeals process being so drawn-out it could be another 12 months before it is heard again. But they remain hopeful, Keith said.

And for them, 'right' is the key word. Since their son was taken down after being convicted of killing his wife, they have maintained all along that the verdict was wrong.

Keith said: "Would we really do this to this day if we had any doubts?"

The couple had been married for 12 years, but Evans' parents said they had been going through a 'bad patch' after Louise discovered her husband was having an affair.

Part-time care assistant Louise had 49 separate injuries, many consistent with falling down stairs, but one to an eye socket which indicated a punch or kick, the trial heard.

The prosecution's case was that Evans had caused his wife to fall and then either smothered her to death or left her to die.

He denied killing her, insisting he had fallen asleep on the sofa watching television before discovering her at the bottom of the stairs.

However, examination of his mobile phone and television set-top box showed both were in use during the time Evans said he was asleep, the judge said. He was convicted of murder and ordered to serve a minimum term of 17 years at Worcester Crown Court in November 2013.

Keith said: "Alan never harmed or fought with his wife. A lot of people like to believe they fought."

Sue said: "Yes they were going through a bad patch, he was stupid having an affair, which he bitterly regrets, but people out there have got stories themselves they are hiding behind."

Keith and Sue have worked themselves into the ground trying to do anything they can to support their son. Their front room contains a dossier of information spread over a dozen ring binders. They say they are in possession of evidence that could break the case and bring their son home.

They are unwilling to go into too much detail for fear it could damage their son's case but support the theory someone else was in the house that night an killed Louise.

In a statement released after the appeal said, the family said: "This refusal was extremely disappointing as we hoped that we had discovered and presented sufficient evidence for the judges to question why certain alternative lines of the investigation reverting to the possibility that Louise's death had been caused by a third party/parties which has not been pursued to a conclusion. This could well have resulted in very different evidence being presented at the original trial.

"We firmly believe Alan is innocent and we will now be focusing on trying to obtain further evidence to support out allegation that this potential explanation and line of inquiry needs to be fully investigated. We are only asking that evidence that has come into our possession is examined by the same legal process that led to our son's conviction."

Sue told the Express & Star: "If Louise didn't have a tragic accident, we know Alan didn't kill her, so we know there must have been a third party involved.

During the appeal, Lady Justice Rafferty said she disagreed with Evans' barrister Mr Thomas Schofield's claim that there was a 'potential third scenario which the jury never heard'.

Evans was described by a detective as 'manipulative character who would do whatever it took to mislead the investigation'.

However, his parents are unmoved in their belief their son was not behind his wife's death.

Sue said: "People out there know more than is being said."