PETER Fell's delighted solicitor today claimed his client had suffered one of the worst injustices he had ever encountered.

And he added that the case proved that the law can get it wrong.

James Nichol is a Finsbury Park-based lawyer who has played a hand in securing releases for those wrongly convicted of a murder on the M25 and the Carl Bridgewater paperboy killing.

He spoke as a party started to celebrate Peter's release.

For over a year, Mr Nichol has waded through dozens of cases to find parallels to Peter's.

But while several other miscarriages of justice were quoted during the three-day Court of Appeal hearing, none, said Mr Nichol, could mirror the scale of injustice felt by Peter.

He said: "Peter will not have been released on a technicality, he will have been released because his confession was not safe.

"He is one of the most innocent men I have ever met. Never could he be a murderer.

"He confessed to the crime at a time in his life when he was a sad, Mickey Mouse character.

"He had been kicked out of the army and was struggling to adapt to civilian life.

"He had resorted to buying boxing trophies to try and become someone. The confessions were all part of that.

"Despite the retraction he made, the prosecution pushed ahead, securing the conviction of an innocent man.

"I am delighted to have played a part in Peter's release. Even some of the officers involved in the case will be pleased to hear of Peter's release."

His QC for the appeal hearing, Patrick O'Connor, said: "There were several obvious grounds on which this conviction was not safe.

"The medical evidence showed just how unsafe the conviction was. It was very worrying to think about the tactics used by the police to induce that confession.

"I am very pleased for Peter because it means he can finally give life a go after waiting for so long."