DEATH ROW BRITON BACK IN US JAIL

Kenny Richey was released from hospital on Friday night and is awaiting a new date for the crucial court hearing, his lawyer said.

Richey, who has been on death row in the US for 21 years, had planned to enter a plea agreement on Thursday for his role in setting a fire that killed a two-year-old girl.

But hours before the court hearing in Ohio that could have secured his release, he was taken to hospital with chest pains.

If the hearing had gone ahead, he had planned to return to his native Scotland in time for Christmas.

Richey left his mother's home in Edinburgh aged 18 to live with his American father in Ohio.

His brother Steve Richey spoke to him on Friday and said that tests have revealed that he had about 60% blockage in his heart and will need an operation.

Richey, 43, wants to have the operation after he is released and not delay his return to freedom, his brother said.

Richey's lawyer Ken Parsigian said: "He is back in jail but he is happy.

"We are trying to find a date next week that we can do the hearing and do the release. It will happen before January 8 but we don't know the date."