An application for a new inquest into the death of Jewish student Jeremiah Duggan has been filed, in what his mother called her "last hope" to uncover the truth.

Mr Duggan, 22, was found dead on a highway near Wiesbaden, Germany in March 2003, after he had attended a youth event organised by the far-right LaRouche group.

The German police ruled his death a suicide, but a British coroner rejected the verdict in November 2003 after the Metropolitan Police testified that the LaRouche movement is a "political cult with sinister and dangerous
connections".

Attempts to have the case reinvestigated in Germany have floundered, but on Friday, the family's lawyers travelled to the High Court in London with new evidence for a fresh inquest.

In January, the Attorney-General, Lady Scotland, gave her backing to the new inquest and apologised for the "failings" within her office that had led to a delay in the proceedings.

Erica Duggan, Jeremiah's mother, said of the latest development: "All our hopes are pinned on this second inquest to finally find the truth of how my son died.

"Some of the evidence is very strong and never used before.

"For seven years we have tried everything possible in Germany - and this has been at great emotional and financial cost.

"Very soon we hope we will start to get the answers through a fresh British inquest."