The desperate Sudanese man who walked the length of the Euro Tunnel to the UK... took a few more steps today to freedom!

Abdul Haroun, 40, was arrested on August 4 last year after completing the 31-mile trip from France.

He was met at the UK exit in Folkestone by a PC Ledner and uttered just one word: “Sudan”

Today Haroun admitted obstructing an engine or carriageway on Aug 4 contrary to channel
tunnel by laws.

He walked free after being handed a nine-month sentence. He has already served half of that on remand.

But it's now been revealed he will be appealing his conviction - even though he pleaded guilty.

He told Canterbury Crown Court: "I jumped over the fence and went into the tunnel by myself.

"I left my under-shirt when I got over the fence. I was walking on the left.

"My family know trains take you to UK. I held onto metal pieces when trains go past.

"Even if I died. It was the only solution."

Passengers suffered up to five-hour delays caused by Haroun after the power was shut off.

The court heard Haroun cannot read or write, even in his own language, but has spent his time walking the beach at Margate practising English. He has since moved to Birmingham.

Judge Adele Williams queried why he hadn't applied for asylum in the other safe
countries he passed through.

She told Haroun: "You put not only your life in danger but you put lives and safety of others in danger.

"You put not only your life in danger but you put lives and safety of
others in danger" - Judge Adele Williams

"Make no mistake, disrupting the operation of the Channel
Tunnel in this way is a very serious offence and almost always leads to an immediate sentence of imprisonment."

We can reveal details of his arrest and questioning for the first time after the judge lifting a gagging order made earlier this year.

Haroun, through an Arabic interpreter, was questioned under schedule 7 of the 2000 Terrorism Act and told officers: “I came here for protection and to be safe”.

He told of his month-long journey to Egypt, then Libya before crossing the sea to Italy and onto Calais, arriving in late July.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how he walked into the Tunnel as trains went past him – which prompted the interviewing officer to say: “You must have been very desperate to do what you did.”

Haroun said: “I had to do it. I didn’t have any orders. I tried. “

His interpreter added: “He says there wasn’t another solution, say even if you die, there wasn’t another solution.”

After appearing before magistrates, the case was sent to the Crown Court but was delayed three times after the Crown Prosecution Service asked for time to review the prosecution.

But after five months on remand he was questioned by the Home Office and told officials of his Dafuri background and claimed he had been persecuted by the Janaweed militia.

Haroun said he was forced to flee his home 12 years ago and went to a camp at Kari-Yari dam on the Sudan-Chad border.

The court heard that on Christmas Eve last year he was given refugee status by the Home Office and released on bail.

But the CPS still decided to prosecute him saying he had posed “a clear potential physical danger” to others and his walk had “very significant economic consequences and impacted on the local community”.

In a statement, Jo Wallacy, a director of Eurotunnel, revealed that Haroun had triggered an alarm in France and Eurotunnel immediately closed its entrance.

“It is both illegal and highly dangerous to attempt to enter the tunnel- doing so could lead to serious injury or death – and we take all possible steps to prevent injury and loss of life.”

Haroun’s barrister, Richard Thomas had applied for the case to be thrown out as an abuse of process, claiming the refugee was protected by Article 31 of the UN Convention.

But Judge Williams rejected the legal challenge.

Now Haroun’s lawyer has revealed he is planning to appeal Judge William’s ruling - despite his guilty plea.

Sadie Castle, from Kent Defence, read from a prepared statement as her client was still awaiting being released by the court’s security staff.

She said: “Mr Haroun will be released later today. He is relieved that the Crown Court proceedings have been concluded and that he will not be returning to prison.

“Mr Haroun has pleaded guilty following a legal ruling by the judge. He obviously respects that ruling but in due course will be appealing his conviction in the Court of Appeal.”