A Glasgow man appealing against his murder conviction has been given more time to take fresh legal advice after he sacked his lawyer.
William Gage, 34, was jailed for life for the shooting of 28-year-old Justin McAlroy in Cambuslang in 2002.
Appeal judges in Edinburgh had told Gage his appeal would be refused.
They were due to give a final decision but were halted by an outburst from Gage, who said he had not had a fair hearing as his lawyer had let him down.
After Gage sacked his lawyer, Judge Lord Hamilton agreed to give him two weeks to talk to a new representative.
Claiming he had been "misrepresented", Gage said: "As far as I am concerned I have not had an appeal, as my solicitor was obviously working for the other side."
He failed to explain, when asked, why he had not raised a concern before.
Lord Hamilton said the court had completed its written judgement and ordinarily the appeal would be refused.
"It is unfortunate that we claim to have the best system of justice in the world, yet innocent men like William Gage continue to be incarcerated"
He added: "In view of the unusual circumstances of this case, the court is prepared to afford you a short period of time with a view to your taking legal advice."
The judge warned Gage that any written evidence should be lodged well in advance of 9 February.
Gage, from Hillhead in Glasgow, was convicted of killing the millionaire's son who was returning home to his pregnant wife.
Widow Tracey McAlroy later told a trial that she would always remember the staring eyes of the "hooded assassin" who shot her husband five times as he stepped out of his Mercedes.
Gage has continued to protest his innocence since he was jailed for the high profile shooting in March 2002, claiming he was the victim of mistaken identity.
His campaign for freedom has attracted a number of supporters in and around Glasgow.
'Exceptional difficulties'
He claimed that the trial heard evidence which cast doubt on the certainty of Mrs McAlroy's identification.
Solicitor advocate Jim Keegan, who represented Gage before being sacked, told an earlier appeal hearing the Crown case was "peppered with inconsistencies".
Trial judge Lord Emslie, describing the jury's guilty verdict in his report to the appeal court, said: "What is clear, however, is that there were exceptional difficulties to overcome if such a verdict was to be reached."
The original murder trial in Glasgow heard that Mr McAlroy was murdered over a £50,000 drug debt.
After the fatal shooting it was revealed that the businessman had been living a double life.
He was said to have been dealing heroin and a detective from the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency told the trial that Mr McAlroy had been a target for surveillance for three years.
Just days before his death, Mr McAlroy was approached by a mystery man who warned him to pay the money that he owed.
Hours after a visit to Perth Prison to see two inmates, Mr McAlroy was gunned down as he stepped from his car outside his home in Acacia Way.
Mr Keegan told appeal judges that while the jury were trying to make up their minds, they had asked to see phone records and a diary kept by a girlfriend who backed up Gage's alibi.
'Firearm discharge'
But the court also heard that DNA tests linked clothes to Gage. They had been found in a partly-burned white Saab in Easterhouse, thought to be the getaway car.
The cagoule and trousers also revealed traces of "firearm discharge residue".
Lord Hamilton said that the Court of Criminal Appeal intended to reject the arguments put forward on behalf of Gage, but would not finally decide the appeal.
After Thursday's brief hearing in Edinburgh, solicitor Aamer Anwar said he would be taking on the case.
"It is unfortunate that we claim to have the best system of justice in the world, yet innocent men like William Gage continue to be incarcerated," he said.
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