The father of slain Canadian teen Rebecca Middleton has lined up Cherie Booth ? wife of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair ? to launch a private prosecution if Bermudian prosecutors refuse to re-open the case.

Department of Public Prosecutions Director Vinette Graham-Allen is reviewing the case and could decide to pursue alternative charges after no-one was found guilty of Rebecca's murder in 1996.

David Middleton, Rebecca's father, told The Royal Gazette that Cherie Booth had been sent documents by family friend Dr. Carol Shuman.

He said: "She's looking over the facts of the matter, to see if Rebecca's human rights have been violated.

"She's not our first choice, but she's famous. She's high profile.

"She has agreed to assist."

Mr. Middleton said he believed Ms Booth's high profile would help the cause and is not frightened the choice would get clouded by politics ? even though the choice of the Prime Minister's wife might be seen as inflammatory at a time when Bermuda's government is pushing for Independence.

Confirmation of Ms Booth's role could not be obtained from her employer Matrix Chambers while Downing Street refused to comment about the matter yesterday.

Asked if the private prosecution would be launched here or taken to the European courts, Mr. Middleton said it would be up to Ms Booth.

But he made it clear he hoped the DPP would pursue the matter here.

"It's the murder of someone ? it should be handled by the public courts."

He believes charges of aggravated sexual assault could be laid.

The DPP is set to finish her review this month.

Seventeen-year-old Rebecca was on holiday in Bermuda in July 1996 when she was raped, sodomised and stabbed and cut 35 times after being driven to Ferry Reach beach.

Two men were arrested over Rebecca's killing. Kirk Mundy, then 21, claimed to have had consensual sex with her and blamed co-accused Justis Smith, then 17, for the killing.

Before Police had completed forensic tests, prosecutors accepted Mundy's guilty plea to a charge of accessory after the fact. He was sentenced to five years behind bars.

Smith was tried in 1998 for premeditated murder, but halfway through the trial, Supreme Court Judge Vincent Meerabux ordered jurors to acquit him, saying there was no forensic evidence such as blood or semen tying Smith to the scene.