What happens next

THE first question asked of the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh tomorrow is whether Nat Fraser should face a retrial for the murder of his wife, Arlene.

The Lord Advocate needs to be granted authority by the court for a fresh prosecution. This is likely to be opposed vigorously by Fraser's legal team.

If authority is not granted, Fraser will officially have his conviction quashed and be freed from jail. If a second trial is allowed, Fraser could apply to be released on bail. He had been at liberty in the run-up to the first trial in 2003, and was out of prison for 19 months while an appeal in Scotland, ultimately unsuccessful, was pending. He was returned to custody when that hearing ended, in December 2007.

Fraser has remained in jail while he pursued the appeal in the Supreme Court, leading to yesterday's judgment in his favour.