by Gerry Warren

gwarren@thekmgroup.co.uk

The family of jailed fireman Garry Mann say they are looking forward to him being sent back from Portugal to the UK to serve the rest of his prison sentence.

The 52-year-old of Gordon Square, Faversham, has been languishing in a jail since being extradited to Lisbon in May following his 'wrongful' conviction for football rioting in 2004.

His family's hopes that he would get a President's pardon at Christmas were dashed. But now an agreement is being drawn up between the Portuguese and British authorities for him to return home to serve the remainder of his two-year sentence.

But his partner Suzanne Lloyd-Baker says they are not building up their hopes too much until he actually touches down on British soil.

The 41-year-old mental health nurse said: "We've learned from the past not to get our hopes up because the legal system in Portugal is not like ours.

"But we do understand that an agreement is being drawn up although we won't be told until it has actually happened and Garry is back in the UK."

The couple, who have six daughters between them, have only seen him three times since he was jailed.

Fair Trials International has been fighting his case following the Euro 2004 football championships

during which he was arrested and charged with involvement in rioting - something he has always denied.

His trial was branded a sham and even a Court of Appeal judge agreed it was a 'serious injustice' but was powerless to stop of European arrest warrant being executed.

Ms Lloyd-Baker said: "Of course, it will be great to have Garry back home where we can see him regularly and particularly his mother, who has not seen him since he was jailed.

"But it is a bit of a double-edged sword because if he had stayed in Portugal he might have been eligible for early release, whereas the agreement when he returns will be that he serves the full sentence."