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Back home after weeks of hell in Rome jail

Pamela Welsh
8/ 5/2008

A WEEK ago Michael Burke was in a prison in Rome, but now he is celebrating a triumphant return to his home in Little Hulton.

The 36-year-old was one of four Manchester United fans jailed in Italy after allegedly being involved in violence after Manchester United's game with Roma.

He was arrested and jailed after an Italian court found him guilty of violent behaviour and resisting arrest after trouble flared before United’s match against Roma on December 12 last year. But he appealed against his sentence last week and walked free from jail on Friday, May 2.

Mike, a builder by trade, is now at home with his fiancee Carmon and his stepson Harvey, and said it was a ‘horrible’ experience.

He said: "The first month was absolute hell. We were locked up 23-and-a-half hours a day, with half an hour for exercise in the morning.

"I had no towels, nothing to wash myself with or anything. It was so cold as well because it was the middle of winter."

Michael has always maintained his innocence and called the Italian police ‘brutal’.

He said: "They are a law onto themselves there, it is mad. When they first arrested us, we just thought there had been a mistake, but when we were in the van they were hitting us with truncheons and it was pretty bad.

"It's just so nice to get home and to be reunited with my family - I've missed birthdays and Christmas as well so it's nice just to spend time at home.

"I've even managed to get a job as a bricklayer, though my employer did say he'd read about me."

His fiancee Carmon said: "It's absolutely amazing to have him home, it hasn't quite sunk in yet. I've been waiting for this for such a long time.

"He didn't deserve to be in their in the first place."

Barbara Keeley MP, who supported Carmon and Michael in their campaign, said: "I have campaigned on this issue since I found out all the problems with the representation and trial process of Michael Burke. I felt it was a wrongful conviction.

"I recently held a debate about the case at Westminster with the Europe Minister, Jim Murphy. The debate and the news it generated helped to publicise the fact that there had been many flaws up to and including the trial of the four Manchester United fans.

"Following this and all the publicity around the case, I am pleased that my constituent has now won back his freedom. His family will be delighted to have him home in Salford."