David Middleton, father of slain Canadian teen Rebecca Middleton, has moved to clarify comments regarding hiring English QC Cherie Booth to handle a private prosecution.

In an earlier interview he had said Ms Booth, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, was not his first choice.

Yesterday he said: ?To be sure she is our first choice when it comes to the human rights matter.

?The point I was trying to make is that we want the Director of Public Prosecutions to proceed with reviewing how the case was handled and how the charges were laid and laying new charges if possible.

?It took some time and patience getting in touch with Ms Booth and we are very pleased she has agreed to take our case.

?We are however going one step at a time and are concentrating on results from the DPP?s review at this time.?

Yesterday Cherie Booth?s practice manager Amanda Illing, of Matrix Chambers, said: ?She hasn?t had formal instructions but certainly she has had some discussions about counsel becoming involved in the case.?

Rebecca was raped, tortured and murdered while on holiday in Bermuda in 1996. No one has been convicted of her murder.