Demjanjuk appeal 'to take years'

John Demjanjuk’s lawyer has said he expects his client’s appeal against his war crimes conviction to last around two years and said he is confident that he will not end up serving prison time.

Ulrich Busch filed an appeal immediately after Demjanjuk was convicted on Thursday on 28,060 counts of accessory to murder for serving as a guard at the Nazis’ Sobibor death camp.

The trial judge ordered Demjanjuk to be released pending the appeal – ruling that the 91-year-old does not pose a flight risk.

Mr Busch said the appeals process would take about two years. He added that Demjanjuk, who has various health problems, “is not fit to be held now and he will be even worse in two years”.

Demjanjuk is expected to leave Munich’s Stadelheim prison today but it is not clear where he will go.