A MAN who claims he was wrongly convicted of gun charges has vowed to continue his fight to clear his name..
Stephen Rodger appeared at Glasgow High Court last week before three of the country's most senior judges, who decided to reject his appeal against a five-year jail sentence.
In 2013 Stephen was sent to Barlinnie for five years after being charged with a breach of the peace and possessing a fire arm in the city's west end - a crime he insists he did not commit.
As previously reported by the Evening Times, Stephen and his friend were driving in a car in Yorkhill and took a photograph of a car in front's licence plate.
The following day armed officers raided the 52-year-old's flat in search of a firearm after the car passengers reported to police that the duo were carrying a gun.
Despite no weapon or any traces of gunpowder being found, the pair were still convicted and sentenced to spend five years behind bars.
The photograph which had been taken that night was only found by Stephen after he was released from jail in 2016.
He appealed his case on the grounds of defective representation but this was refused by the country's most senior judge - Lord Carloway - along with Lord Turnbull and Lord Menzies last week.
Stephen was questioned over why he did not give evidence in his initial trial, before judges ruled that he had taken a tactical decision not to bring up the photographic evidence.
Now Stephen has vowed to continue his fight, with the help of Glasgow's Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO).
The former security guard said: "As far as I'm concerned the criminal justice system has let me down again but there is still a long way to go, and I am not giving up.
"We are factually innocent of the crime we were charged with, but because I didn't give evidence in my first trial that has been held against me.
"There are questions to be asked overt the legality of giving evidence, which you have the right to refuse to do, if it is going to be later used against you.
" This isn't done and dusted, I'm not giving up hope.
"There are other avenues we are going to go down - there is CCTV evidence showing we didn't do what was claimed, for example."
Paul McLaughlin, one of MOJO's project co-ordinators, said his organisation will "stand behind" Stephen and help him continue his fight.
He also blasted the appeal refusal, and said: "What we witnessed in that court was a travesty.
" They seemed ot be more concerned about maintaining the conviction than anything else and that is disappointing.
"The situation where the fact someone has maintained their rights and not given evidence at their own trial has been used against them is worrying.
"[This situation] makes us all vulnerable to allegations that witnesses believe are true [but may not be].
"Stephen still has an active case on a number of fronts which may still allow him to go back to the appeal court.
"It is now a waiting game, but we will stand behind him to get him the justice he deserves."
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