Lawyer in the news

Who? Greg Stewart, 34-year-old partner in four-partner south London legal aid practice Brady Eastwood Pierce & Stewart.Why is he in the news? Represents the 17-year-old boy who was last week cleared of the murder of Damilola Taylor after the judge decided that the prosecution's key witness was lying.

The case against the boy collapsed because it relied on evidence from a 14-year-old girl, known as 'Bromley', who claimed she had seen the defendant and three other teenage boys stabbing 10-year-old Damilola on a south London housing estate.

Mr Justice Hooper declared that the girl had embellished her story from her 'fertile imagination', and no jury could be certain that she was telling the truth.

The trial of the three other boys is continuing.Background: LLB at Leeds University 1986-89, followed by Law Society finals at Chester College of Law in 1990.

He qualified in 1993 with Deptford firm McGouldrich & Co (now dissolved) and left to set up his own firm in 1995.Route to the case: 'It was referred to me by a solicitor-advocate who found he had a conflict of interest.'Thoughts on the case: 'The case has been fairly stressful, as it has been going on for such a long time and we have suspected for some weeks that the witness's evidence may be thrown out.

I believe that a number of changes will result from the case: firstly, the practice of newspapers offering financial rewards for help in solving a crime will have to be looked at closely, and secondly the way police interview and treat child witnesses will also have to be examined.

As for my client, he is obviously incredibly relieved that his ordeal is over, but everything is still very unreal for him.

The court case may be over, but he is currently living in secure accommodation for his own protection and he and his family are besieged by the press.

It will take a long time for any semblance ofnormality to return to his life.'Dealing with the media: 'Although it has been hectic, most of the press have been sensitive to the fact that minors are involved in the case and they appreciate that there are things that I simply can't discuss.

My client is under siege from the press and has been inundated by offers from newspapers to tell his story, all of which he is considering.

If he does decide to speak, it will be to set the record straight and put his side of the story across, rather than for the money.'Victoria MacCallum