Tony Steel was born in 1956 in Bradford on the Ravenscliffe estate. He went to the local primary school, Ravenscliffe First. For four years he and Carol Wilkinson were a year apart at Ravenscliffe First, Steel a year behind her. Their homes were on opposite sides of the estate. Carol then went to Lilycroft Junior School. He went on to the Hutton Junior School.

Tony's father, Charlie, was a council gardener. When he left school, Tony followed in his footsteps.

In 1972 he left home to live with Pamela Ward. Two years later she had a son to him - Mark.

In 1976 Tony met Michelle Smith and became romantically involved with her - whilst still living with Pamela Ward. Pamela Ward had another son by him in 1977 - but Tony was already getting engaged to Michelle at this time. A month before the Carol Wilkinson murder happened, things came to a head between Tony and Pamela. Michelle told him that she was pregnant - so Tony left Pamela and moved in with Michelle in a house ( Cobden Street) that was owned by Michelle's mother, Vera Smith.

Although Tony would occasionally go back to see his sons - and even stay overnight with Pamela, their relationship was over before Tony was arrested. Michelle gave birth to a daughter, Julia.

Tony had no criminal record - he had never been in trouble with the police. It was a complete surprise to everybody when he came under suspicion. The circumstances of that resulted from Michelle becoming pregnant by him before they were married. Tony's mother in law, Vera Smith, hated him for that. She constantly tried to blacken his name - and eventually she became fixated with the idea that he had killed Carol Wilkinson.

She told everyone who would listen that she did not like him and that he had a bad reputation. In March 1979 she wrote an anonymous letter to the police linking him with the murder. Tony Steel discovered this and went to Pudsey Police Station to inquire what might be done to stop Vera Smith slandering him as she did.

Throughout this period Tony's main friends were Paul Wilkinson ( no relation to Carol Wilkinson) and Eddie Hannon. Both worked with him for the council.

Tony Steel is five feet tall with a stocky build. In 1978 he had a very full, almost fat face, with long curling blond hair. His blue eyes shone out in photographs. Most women thought him handsome.

He has two married sisters, Barbara and Angela, and a brother David. They are all three living perfectly respectable lives in the Bradford area. Their mother is stone-deaf - which severely affects her lifestyle and that of her husband Charlie. The family was so sure of Tony's innocence of the murder of Carol Wilkinson that they offered a £2,000 reward for any information that might clear him.

Tony was granted parole on his life sentence in 1999. He was ill when he left prison and has been more seriously ill since then. He has not been in any kind of trouble since he left prison.