A Kent football fan won time today to bring a challenge in the European Court of Human Rights against being forced to serve a controversial jail sentence in Portugal.

Garry Mann, 52, from Faversham, had his immediate extradition to Portugal blocked by a judge today (Friday).

The extradition request concerns a two-year prison sentence handed down in Portugal over alleged football-related violence in Albufeira during Euro 2004, which the fireman denies.

A previous hearing had heard that the High Court could not intervene but Mr Mann has now been given until Friday, April 9, to make his application to the European Court for permission to challenge his extradition.

Hear Garry Mann's reaction to today's verdict

It is Mr Mann's submission that he was arrested, tried and convicted within two days and that he has never had a fair trial.

He did not even know what he was convicted of until the trial had finished.

Now new evidence from the Foreign Office has offered hope that the case will be put behind him - six years on.