The ex-trader convicted of rigging LIBOR says there were 6 'deficient' areas in his trial

LONDON - Tom Hayes, the former banker convicted for his role in rigging the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), is launching another appeal against his conviction because there were six areas where his trial was "deficient," he claims.

Hayes was initially convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2015 but had his sentence reduced to 11 years on appeal. He is now crowdfunding for a further legal challenge, raising more than £77,000 so far.

He originally tried to appeal to the Supreme Court but the case was rejected in March 2016.

His fresh appeal was filed to the Criminal Cases Review Commission - an independent public body that investigates possible miscarriages of justice.

Among the six areas that Hayes claims were "deficient" in his trial, cited by The Times, were:

• "The emergence of fresh evidence not previously disclosed to me by the Serious Fraud Office"
• "The failure to allow my jury the benefit of medical evidence concerning my Asperger's, and the attempt by the Serious Fraud Office to deny my jury any knowledge of the diagnosis."

Karen Todner, a solicitor at law firm Kaim Todner, which represents Hayes, told The Times that he had been the subject of a "gross miscarriage of justice."

Then in a letter sent to The Guardian newspaper from Lowdham Grange prison in Nottinghamshire, Hayes said:

"It is my case that little or no independent investigation was constructed by the SFO, which failed to obtain evidence that might exonerate me.

"As a result, I was convicted and given a 14-year prison sentence, later reduced to 11 years - one of the longest any British court has handed out to a nonviolent offender. Those senior to me were exonerated by the regulator and have never been interviewed by the Serious Fraud Office."

He claims in the letter that 8 million documents are located at UBS headquarters in Switzerland. He then added:

"I spent Christmas 2016 in prison, as I did the last, desperately missing my family. As was the case last year, the camaraderie and support of my fellow inmates along with support from the church helped me to cope through the festive season, happy for most but incredibly sad inside. I was devastated that I did not see my young son open his presents on Christmas morning.

"This year my son started school, and I continue to watch from the sidelines as he grows up into a child I am deeply proud of. But as I remain trapped in a high security prison, my son is slowly forgetting how it feels to have his father in his daily life. I tell him on every prison visit that I won't stop fighting to get the truth out, and to win my freedom so I can return home."