Judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh decided yesterday that Nat Fraser would be retried for the alleged murder of his wife Arlene in 1998, after the 2003 conviction was formally quashed by the same Court.
The announcement came after the conviction was unanimously ruled unsafe by Judges in The Supreme Court in London, a move which has been slammed by certain Scottish legal and political figureheads, most notably First Minister Alex Salmond.
The Court of Appeal, presided over by Scotland’s top Judge, The Lord Justice General Lord Hamilton, also denied the defendant bail, reasons for which cannot be reported at this time.
Fraser, who has always maintained his innocence, lost his first appeal in 2008, but had the case moved to London on the grounds that his human rights had been breached, and that he had not been afforded a fair trial.
Fraser’s defence team, led by Maggie Scott QC, had hoped to have the case abandoned, however Judges sided with Alan Prentice QC, and granted authority for a fresh prosecution.
No date has yet been set for the retrial and Fraser remains remanded in custody.
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