A FORMER North-East aircraft engineer, who spent 14 years behind bars before his murder conviction was ruled unsafe, began a fresh Court battle yesterday for more than £1m compensation.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal were told that Andrew Adams was released after evidence was found that was available for his trial, but was missed by his defence team.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused his application because his conviction was not reversed on the basis of new evidence and it had not been shown there was a miscarriage of justice.

Tim Owen, QC, representing Mr Adams said: “The appellant cannot be blamed for the incompetence of the legal preparation for his trial.” He said the facts which led to his conviction being quashed were new to Mr Adams and should fall within the parameters which would allow compensation.

Robin Tam, QC, for the Secretary of State, will argue that Mr Adams cannot show there had been a miscarriage of justice and therefore his appeal must fail.

Mr Adams, from Newcastle, had his conviction quashed in January 2007, after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

But his application to the High Court in February, to review the decision by Mr Straw was dismissed.

Mr Justice Simon and Lord Justice Maurice Kay said at the High Court, in London, that his criminal appeal succeeded on the basis that the conduct of his case by his legal representatives was inadequate and had deprived him of a fair trial.

But they said that it had not been shown beyond a reasonable doubt that there had been a miscarriage of justice and the evidence which was not used by his defence could not be described as new.

Mr Adams was 23 when he was found guilty in 1993 of the shooting of retired science teacher Jack Royal, who was shot as he answered the door at his home in Laburnum Grove, Sunniside, Gateshead, in March 1990.

The shooting was said to have been in revenge for a fatal stabbing carried out by Mr Royal during a 1987 street fight.

Mr Royal was cleared of wrongdoing after two trials heard he had acted in self-defence.

Lords Justices Waller, Dyson and Lloyd reserved their rulings to a later date.