Watching the coverage of the FBI raid on Donald Trump’s home reminds me of my own case - or “debacle” as described by the Judge.

If “they”, whoever they may be, want to destroy someone - be it from running a country or running a company, be it wanting a divorce or needing compensation cash - the enablers use various tricks which I think actually amount to crimes. Be they bent lawyers, crooked cops or organisations like the FBI, CPS or CIA, these tricks include REDACTION.

Whenever you see a document full of black chunks you can bet 95% of the “redacted” information are redacted for reasons other than those officially given. Like - to cover up lies, dissembling, forgery and dishonesty.

In 2018 two things emerged. My arrest, investigation and prosecution were claimed to be because of a previous investigation by Merseyside Police into Operation Arundel - my wrongful trial and conviction of 2001. In reality, as was proven, they were because Surrey Police wanted to improve their image after failing to convict Jimmy Savile of claims made whilst he was alive.

My Judge who (thank heavens) was intelligent, honest and perceptive, demanded to see this report which was delivered - heavily redacted, of course. She then demanded to see the UNREDACTED version which, after much complaint (because it mainly criticised Surrey Police) they gave to her - and us. The evidence of malpractice in 2001 by Surrey Police was extraordinary.

But perhaps even more crucial was a second report.

In 2015 when I - and two others - were arrested in Operation Ravine, Surrey Police put all three of us under surveillance. Not just mild surveillance but total 24/7 - two men in cars outside our homes - all three all day and all night. All phones tapped. All online activity monitored. It must have cost a fortune. None of us knew anything about this.

One man’s surveillance - Rob Randall (the DJ at The Walton Hop) - was dropped after a few days when it became clear there was nothing to be found. The second (Deniz Corday - owner and manager of The Walton Hop) was dropped after a week or so for similar reasons. Mine went on for months. And found nothing. NOTHING.

Because, of course, there was nothing to be found. Especially after 50 years.

Even when the trial started, my defence team knew nothing about this. But the Judge was informed and demanded to see the surveillance report. As it had found nothing (at massive cost to the tax payer) the police and CPS had decided NOT to disclose it (or the results) to my defence. On hearing this my defence became furious as obviously it was solid proof of my innocence (as well as that of Rob and Deniz, both of whom had died through stress by then).

The CPS and Surrey Police refused to reveal the surveillance report. They claimed terrorist legislation. My judge insisted, sending everyone out of the court except for her and the prosecution - even my lawyers were booted out, as were the press because this was “about National Security”. And public. And me. And Clerks of the Court; Security; everyone.

The Judge heard the arguments (to this day - obviously - I have no idea what they were) and totally rejected them, demanding the Surveillance Report. Which, in my case, was enormous (I do a lot in a month, let alone several months - even my cars were bugged).

Grudgingly they revealed it, heavily redacted.

HHJ Deborah Taylor, clearly by now infuriated by these tactics, shouted to them to deliver an UNREDACTED version. Visibly shaken, the prosecution QC - an ambitious woman previously doing rather well (as a matter of interest she had prosecuted my Nemesis, the man who had started my downfall in 2000, Max Clifford) - turned white, not used to being yelled at by a Judge, and produced the unreacted report (which, of course, completely proved my innocence and had nothing, anywhere, to do with terrorism).

This is just one way in which the legal system, globally, can be misused - and many of those who misuse it know exactly how to do it as, sadly, many judges and juries don’t spot the tricks.

As is now known, I was declared Not Guilty by a jury in 2018 at Southwark Crown Court and they were dismissed. HHJ Taylor rejected the CPS request for any future re-trials. The other two innocent men, as mentioned above, had already died. My wrongful conviction from 2001 is being considered by the CCRC after fresh evidence of Surrey Police misbehaviour emerged in 2018 and it should be overturned by the Court of Appeal this year.

I’m no fan of Donald Trump. I’m totally opposed by many of his right wing policies. But if he survives this obviously dodgy way of trying to dismiss him as a future Presidential candidate, and if I was an American citizen, I’d definitely vote for him.