The Court of Appeal has freed 18-year-old Demara Shirley, of a Kingston address, who was convicted in April last year and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for illegal possession of firearm and shooting with intent.

Shirley, also called 'Agreeable', was found guilty in the Gun Court of shooting at a number of policemen in the vicinity of Kingston College, Kingston on October 25, 2005. He was held a year later in Portland and arrested and charged.

Attorney-at-law Everton Bird, who represented Shirley on appeal, submitted that there was no adequate proof that the incident ever occurred or that Shirley was the shooter. Bird said the case did not reach the objective standard of proof which was beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bird also argued that, although the policemen claimed they knew Shirley before the day of the incident, no warrant was prepared for Shirley's arrest.

Shirley had said, in his defence at his trial, that he was not involved in any shooting incident with the police.

The Court of Appeal quashed Shirley's conviction, set aside his sentence and entered a verdict of acquittal. The Court has promised to give its reasons in writing at a later date.