Free David Ferguson

Help to right a grave miscarriage of justice....

Image of David Ferguson

Blog entry 1st December 2012

It's been a while since my last blog update. Mainly that's because I am trying to get a new appeal solicitor.

After lodging a formal complaint with the legal Ombudsman Rajan Mawji's former employer conceded that I had not received the representation that I was promised and have compensated me. Unfortunately, money doesn't get me back the 18 months Rajan Mawji wasted deceiving me about the work he claimed he was doing on my appeal. It is also now apparent that Mawji didn't only deceive me but also a large number of other clients of his. I would not trust this man to represent anyone legally!

So now I am back to square one, looking for a new solicitor. Two firms I wrote to, Petherbridge Bassra and Lewis Sidhu both looked promising but after several weeks amounted to nothing. I am now waiting to hear from the Johnson Partnership in Nottingham. Trying to get a good, reliable appeal solicitor; especially one who is sufficiently knowledgeable about the complexities of DNA is almost impossible these days.

Prison life continues as normal at chez Wakefield. Despite the prisons best efforts to derail my Open University studies I got a grade 1 pass on my first module assessment and have just sent off my second assignment. Three more to go and the first module will be complete.

At long last my amazing partner Carol will be coming into visit soon! The governor has permitted her a closed visit whilst the police continue to drag their heels in completing their part of the visiting clearance procedure. Even though we'll have a sheet of perspex between us my Christmas will arrive early when I get to see her.

My prison law solicitor has received a very positive advice from Flo Krause, a barrister who specialises in prison law, to to judicial review HMP Wakefield, over its failure to progress and de-categorise me. Until papers are entered into court I cannot give specific details of the case, other than to state that we have a very strong legal argument due to the prison's utter refusal to obey nationally set prison rules and regulations. Watch this space for updates as the case progresses.

I continue to have letters printed in the national prison newspaper Inside - Time. Anyone wishing to read them can do so at the papers website.

In October the prison decided to help me lose weight with a dose of food poisoning. I lost almost a stone (6.4kg) in six hours. Whilst not being a pleasant experience it also knocked my training on its head for a few weeks. Even though I'm still 2kg lighter I am back into the swing of things training harder , lifting heavier and with a nicely defined six pack - at least the food poisoning gave me one positive!

Hopefully I'll have news about a new appeal solicitor for the next blog!

Bye - and happy Xmas everyone.