A NEWPORT father of two has spoken of his trauma after spending more than 600 days in jail as a wrongly convicted prisoner.

Richard Jones, 34, of Jeans Close, Malpas, is now claiming compensation after being cleared by the Court of Appeal of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on a man during a fight in Newport city centre in June 2002.

Mr Jones was jailed for four years in October 2002 at Cardiff crown court for the offence.

But medical evidence proving the key allegation - that his victim suffered a fractured skull - was never produced despite the Crown Prosecution Service's case hinging on the alleged injury.

Despite repeated requests before Mr Jones was sentenced for the full medical l from front page report, the CPS did not disclose the evidence to his solicitors until July 2003 - nine months after it was requested.

The report showed no fracture had been diagnosed, undermining an essential part of the case against Mr Jones.

Mr Jones maintained he had acted in self-defence and struck the man once after he was attacked. He pleaded guilty because his previous convictions for violence meant he faced a mandatory life sentence if he was convicted by a jury.

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge John Griffith Williams, refused a request by his defence team from Newport solicitors Keith Evans and Co to adjourn sentence in October, despite not having the full medical evidence before him in court.

Mr Jones said: "I didn't know what to do. I knew I was innocent, but if the jury did not believe me I would have faced a life sentence.

"I just acted on the advice of my barrister. They now say had they had this evidence they would have told me to plead not guilty.

"Because of everything that happened I just felt everyone was against me and was so paranoid I would not even come out of my cell. Now I have to start again, try and rebuild my life. Now I want the Home Office to compensate me for my time in jail."

At the Court of Appeal, Judge Richard Brown said the "unwitting" use by the Crown of a statement which did not prove a fracture had occurred was a "serious irregularity".

At a re-trial earlier this month for a lesser assault offence, Mr Jones was also acquitted.