Former Senator is freed on bail

Adam Fowler spoke to Mr Syvret as he took his first steps to freedom.

Former Jersey Senator Stuart Syvret has walked free from court following a successful bail application less than 24 hours after being found guilty of contempt.

Mr Syvret was jailed on Wednesday for ten weeks. The main reason he was granted bail was that he would have served most, if not all of his sentence, before his appeal could have been heard.

He will now appear at a directions hearing in January.

On leaving the court Mr Syvret told Channel Television: "I'll be going for the appeals process, I'll be taking other civil actions also, against the States of Jersey, I don't expect any long term success within the island obviously because the judicial system is so politicised here but this has all been taken with a long term objective to challenging the structure of power in Jersey before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and that has always been for at least the last two years, the long term goal and the actions taken agains me in the last day or so, I mean jailing me for 10 weeks, on the basis of three charges I'd only had less than 24 hours notice of, you know, it's great actually because it just adds massive weight to the evidence and the cause of getting Jersey cleaned up."

Advocate Christopher Scholefield also told us his realease on bail pending an appeal was not unexpected: "It's not unusual, it happens all the time. If you're convicted but you are appealing and your prison sentence is not a very long one, you're granted bail very often, pending your appeal, so that by the time the appeal case is heard there isn't the danger that you've already served your sentence in prison."

Meanwhile UK politician John Hemming MP said he believes Stuart Syvret is a victim of 'political persecution'.

Mr Hemming has tabled a Commons Motion on the matter. He says he is shocked at the decision by the Jersey courts and is calling for the British Government to raise concerns about his treatment.

The motion has the support of UK MPs Peter Bottomley and Bob Russell.

Mr Hemming told Channel Television: "It's wrong to prosecute him because it is in the public interest for people to know what's going on. The politicians have a duty to speak out, the whistleblowers should be protected not jailed. I've already tabled a Commons motion about the issue. I have spoken to the Chair of the Justice Select Committee. And I have written to the Minister of the Crown Dependencies. And the issue will be taken up over the next week or so."

John Hemming MP has tabled a Commons Motion.

No one expected Stuart Syvret to be released so soon after he was taken to La Moye, least of all his supporters who mounted a campaign for what they called 'justice' for the former Senator.

Adam Fowler has the story of the Support for Stuart.

Former Senator is freed on bail