Blunkett - "I am working very hard on this because I haven't given up on the idea that we are going to be able to nail this individual."
Now is it appropriate for a member of the legislature, a home sec. no less, to go around saying he is going to nail someone. At the very least is it a good use of his time.
I have no idea if this man is guilty, I'm pretty sure he did not receive a fair trial, what I do hope is that he is innocent and this is proven and he 'nails' Blunkett in the libel courts.
Now is it appropriate for a member of the legislature, a home sec. no less, to go around saying he is going to nail someone. At the very least is it a good use of his time.
I have no idea if this man is guilty, I'm pretty sure he did not receive a fair trial, what I do hope is that he is innocent and this is proven and he 'nails' Blunkett in the libel courts.
England fan 'nowhere near riots'
A England fan handed a two-year jail term for rioting in Portugal has said he is innocent and was victimised.
Garry Mann, claimed he had had "a thoroughly unfair trial" and was subjected to "sleep deprivation and beatings" by police in Albufeira.
He was speaking at the offices of the Fair Trials Abroad group in London.
Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted to "nail" Mann, a 46-year-old firefighter from Kent, after he was freed on his return to the UK.
Mannm, who will not serve the custodial sentence here because of a legal loophole, is appealing his Portugal conviction with the backing of Fair Trials Abroad.
'Lost evidence'
Fair Trials Abroad director Stephen Jakobi, who hosted the press conference, said Mann was "pretty traumatised" by his experience in Portugal.
He said the European Convention of Human Rights had been breached during Mann's trial.
Mann was not promptly told, in a language he understood, what he was being accused of, and was not given sufficient time to prepare a defence, Mr Jakobi said.
Mann said that he was not at the scene of the clashes between England fans and police in Albufeira, in the Algarve, on 15 June.
"At this time I was at a bar called the Blues Bar, with a friend and my brother, nowhere near the alleged riot site," he said.
He said "crucial" CCTV footage from the Blues Bar, which could clear his name, was not seen by the court and had been destroyed following the violence.
Mann, a life-long Birmingham City fan, told the press conference police attacked him as he left the Blues Bar to return to his hotel at around 0345BST.
He said: "I was attacked by plain-clothes police officers and beaten up by the police at the time and arrested.
"I was then held at the police headquarters with a number of others, about another 13.
"We were subjected to 15 hours of sleep deprivation and beatings if we attempted to shut our eyes.
Mann said he felt "devastated by these events and all the media coverage" and would appeal against his sentence.
"I feel thoroughly victimised by a thoroughly unfair trial."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/3825965.stm
A England fan handed a two-year jail term for rioting in Portugal has said he is innocent and was victimised.
Garry Mann, claimed he had had "a thoroughly unfair trial" and was subjected to "sleep deprivation and beatings" by police in Albufeira.
He was speaking at the offices of the Fair Trials Abroad group in London.
Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted to "nail" Mann, a 46-year-old firefighter from Kent, after he was freed on his return to the UK.
Mannm, who will not serve the custodial sentence here because of a legal loophole, is appealing his Portugal conviction with the backing of Fair Trials Abroad.
'Lost evidence'
Fair Trials Abroad director Stephen Jakobi, who hosted the press conference, said Mann was "pretty traumatised" by his experience in Portugal.
He said the European Convention of Human Rights had been breached during Mann's trial.
Mann was not promptly told, in a language he understood, what he was being accused of, and was not given sufficient time to prepare a defence, Mr Jakobi said.
Mann said that he was not at the scene of the clashes between England fans and police in Albufeira, in the Algarve, on 15 June.
"At this time I was at a bar called the Blues Bar, with a friend and my brother, nowhere near the alleged riot site," he said.
He said "crucial" CCTV footage from the Blues Bar, which could clear his name, was not seen by the court and had been destroyed following the violence.
Mann, a life-long Birmingham City fan, told the press conference police attacked him as he left the Blues Bar to return to his hotel at around 0345BST.
He said: "I was attacked by plain-clothes police officers and beaten up by the police at the time and arrested.
"I was then held at the police headquarters with a number of others, about another 13.
"We were subjected to 15 hours of sleep deprivation and beatings if we attempted to shut our eyes.
Mann said he felt "devastated by these events and all the media coverage" and would appeal against his sentence.
"I feel thoroughly victimised by a thoroughly unfair trial."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/3825965.stm
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