Bermudian benefactors have stepped forward to settle Rebecca Middleton's father's crippling legal bills.

Dave Middleton gave up fighting for justice in the unsolved murder case earlier this year after several court defeats led to spiralling debts.

The charity set up to fund the fight has ceased to gather donations as a result, and will concentrate in future on pressing for legal reforms.

However, Mr. Middleton, 59, revealed that reports of his $57,000 debts sparked generosity from the community.

"People came forward after the recent publicity, most of the donations (to the Rebecca Middleton Foundation) had come from local people," he explained. "They just called up in the last little while. I'm very happy that the people did come forward and donate." He declined to reveal who the Good Samaritans were.

The news came during a visit by Mr. Middleton to the Island from his home in Belleville, Ontario. He presented a $500 cheque to the Women's Resource Centre, from money left in the coffers of the charity after it dissolved and the bills were settled.

The cash will assist in promoting safety for women, one of the mandates of the foundation. Members will carry on honouring the teen's memory in future as a new group called Friends of Rebecca Middleton.

Kim Smith from the group explained this week that one of its aims is to get the "double jeopardy" rule - which prevents persons being tried twice over the same crime - amended as it already has been in England and Wales.

There, cases can be re-opened in the face of fresh evidence - something the Middleton family argues is the case with two men suspected of the killing.

"By now we are all aware that in July of 1996 the Middleton's beloved daughter was brutally raped, mutilated and murdered at the tender age of 17 when visiting with a friend here in Bermuda," said Ms Smith.

"Last year, the family once again attempted to have the case reviewed and reopened, but their attempts were unsuccessful. Despite their distress at the outcome, they now realise that they will never see justice for their daughter.

"While the foundation is no longer helping to raise funds for this case, we continue as a group of individuals, under the name Friends of Rebecca Middleton, to focus our efforts on raising public awareness and support for changes to be made in certain laws, especially when we learned that it was because of an antiquated law still in place that made it impossible to gain justice for Rebecca.

"To this end, we welcome the fact that a motion has (again) been tabled in the House to review the double jeopardy rule. We encourage the leaders of this country to engage in substantive and meaningful discussion on this motion when the House resumes in May."

After accepting the $500 donation to the WRC yesterday, Kathy Harriott, executive director of the centre, said she hoped it would help fund a new staff member to do research and publicity.