A FORMER Scots Guard has told of his relief after Portuguese authorities dropped a request to extradite him for a crime he was acquitted of 17 years ago.

Graham Mitchell, 49, originally from Paisley, said he had been through hell waiting to hear if he would have to stand trial again for the attempted murder of a German tourist in the Algarve in 1994.

He had been contesting his extradition in the UK courts, but campaigners yesterday revealed Portuguese officials had removed the request due to the length of time passed.

The married father-of-two, now of Canterbury, said he is delighted the request has finally been dropped.

He said: "I am thrilled that the criminal charges against me are now extinct. My family and I have been through hell.

"I'd like to thank my legal team, family, friends and colleagues – the support I have received has made the whole episode slightly more bearable."

Mr Mitchell and his friend, Warren Tozer, were originally arrested over an alleged assault on Andre Jorling, who was left paralysed after falling off a sea wall.

After spending more than a year in prison, the pair were cleared in a high-profile trial in 1995.

However, Portugal's Supreme Court revoked the decision and ordered a retrial.

A European arrest warrant was issued in 2008, but it was not until March this year that Mr Mitchell – a photographer who lives with his wife Laura and two children – was re-arrested by British police.

Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International, warned that reforms are need in the extradition process.

He said: "It would have been a grave injustice if the EU's fast-track extradition system had been used to subject Graham to another trial in Portugal, so many years after he was acquitted.

"Prosecutors should think twice before issuing these tick-box extradition requests and reforms must be made now to stop future cases of injustice."