Tony Martin: I came close to suicide

Tony Martin has revealed for the first time that he would have killed himself if his appeal against his murder conviction had failed.

The 58-year-old farmer was released from prison this week after serving three years for manslaughter after shooting dead a burglar at his home in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk.

He said: "If my appeal hadn't been successful, well, I would have ended it."

Martin, who has sold his story to the Daily Mirror, said that he had decided to slit his wrists in a hot bath.