Retrial over footballer's murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/8460159.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A man found guilty of the murder of a 17-year-old footballer will face a retrial after his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Richard Harrison-Allen, 20, of Hackney, east London, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 years for Etem Celebi's murder in north London.

Etem was shot in November 2007 on the Smalley Close estate, Stoke Newington.

Mr Harrison-Allen's appeal was allowed after new evidence emerged, which the prosecution was previously unaware of.

Mr Harrison-Allen, who had denied the murder, was convicted and jailed last February.

Etem played for Leyton Football Club

Etem, a semi-professional footballer who represented Leyton Football Club in the Ryman Premier League, was with a group of friends when he was shot in the back near his home.

Mr Harrison-Allen will be retried on the murder charge within the next two months at the Old Bailey.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The Court of Appeal today allowed the appeal against conviction of the murder of Etam Celebi on 14 November 2007.

"The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal as fresh evidence came to light (which the prosecution team had previously been unaware of) after Mr Harrison-Allen had been convicted of Mr Celebi's murder.

"This evidence was then passed to Mr Harrison-Allen's defence team."

He remains in custody as his lawyer did not make a bail application.