A man imprisoned for 11 years for a murder he didn't commit says he "won't rest" until police find the real killer to end years of torment."

Michael O'Brien, 57, was 19 when he was arrested with two friends on suspicion of the murder of Phillip Saunders, a 52-year-old newsagent, in October 1987.

Saunders was attacked with a shovel in his garden in Cardiff, Wales, and later died in hospital.

Michael was arrested at his sister-in-law's home on November 1, 1987, and released a few days later.

He was then charged on November 10, 1987 - along with pals Darren Hall and Ellis Sherwood - when his co-accused, Darren, suggested he acted as lookout for the others for a "robbery that went wrong". "

The trio had been out stealing cars at the time of the crime - and Michael says they were "three miles away". "

The three stood trial at Cardiff Crown Court in June 27, 1988 - and were eventually convicted of murder and violent robbery - despite there being no forensic evidence linking them to the crime.

Michael, Sherwood and Hall were sentenced to life sentence behind bars.

Michael maintained his innocence and in 1998 - after 11 years behind bars - was acquitted and released on December 22, 1999, after the Criminal Cases Review Commission found the three of them not guilty.

It found Hall's "confession" was emphasised after he had been suffering from a personality disorder at the time it was made and had later retracted it. "

It comes as Peter Sullivan was released this week after serving 38 years for a murder he didn't commit.

Michael, an author and campaigner, from Cardiff, Wales, said: "The real killer is still out there, I want the real killer caught."

"There is evidence out there, there is a suspect out there."

"I want to know who did this to Saunders, but I also want to know who has done this to me."

"[When I was first in prison] I was suicidal, I remember my first night at Cardiff Prison, I couldn't deal with it."

"It was such a shock to the system, I still have scars on my arms where I have tried to cut myself."

"It was a cry for help, I didn't know what to do, I didn't know where to turn to."

"It is your worst nightmare being accused of something you hadn't done."

This week saw Peter Sullivan released after nearly four decades behind bars - for a crime he didn't commit.

He is believed to be the longest serving miscarriage of justice victim in the UK.

Michael believes Sullivan is going to need some serious psychiatric help because Michael himself still suffers today.

Michael said: "You get mixed emotions because you are glad that your name is cleared, but then the anger follows because you wonder why people didn't know that you were innocent."

"The issue with the compensation is the question of how much they will give him if he is innocent enough, or bed and board, which is what I got."

"As a miscarriage of justice victim we are not easy to live with and he needs counselling straight away." "

Michael was married and had two children when he went to prison in November 1997.

He said: "I found prison very difficult and never accepted it. My marriage fell apart and not seeing my son, Kyle, 38, grow up was difficult."

"I remember a priest coming to me and saying I had a special visitor and I better sit down."

"My solicitor came in and I asked what was going on, I had a bad feeling that something was going to occur but I didn't know what it was."

"He said: 'I don't know how to tell you but your baby daughter died.'"

"I went white, I started crying, what has happened to me."

"I was in prison for something I hadn't done, my child died and weeks later my wife walked out on me - I lost everything."

"If you don't admit your guilt the chances are you might never get out because you don't get parole."

"What kept me going was knowing I was innocent and I had to fight for my freedom."

While in prison Michael says he was banged up with notorious criminals - including Charles Bronson, Jeremy Bamber and Charlie Kray.

He said: "There was an incident where a police officer was giving me a hard time."

"Charlie [Bronson] then said to the officer 'if you got a problem with him, then you've got a problem with me'. "

"He was one of a kind."

"I had seen him kick off and when he does, whoever gets in his way wants to move."

"Charlie doesn't back down and I've seen him go for prison officers and he bundles them over like skittles."

"He doesn't smoke, he doesn't drink, he's a fitness fanatic."

"I personally wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of him and I tried not to."

"He can be a very dangerous person when he wants to be."

Michael, Darren and Ellis were eventually released in December 17, 1999 - after 11 years and 43 days.

He said: "Even when you come out it is not a bed of roses, we suffered a lot of psychological damage."

"I still suffer a lot of psychological damage now I am still seeing a psychiatrist 25 years after I have been released. "

"I was in shock, I couldn't get my head around it. The adrenaline of being released kept me going."

"Being able to hold my son in my arms was the most important thing to me."

Michael added: "I wish I never went to prison but the fact is I'm trying to turn a negative into a positive."

"I suffer from PTSD and it has caused some lasting damage. "

"I've seen some horrible things inside - like people being murdered."

"I wasn't geared up for prison, I stuck out like a sore thumb."

On his release, Michael was awarded £300k - one of the largest out-of-court settlements ever given by an English or Welsh police force - with additional compensation from the Home Office.

In 2020, he received an apology from South Wales Police by Chief Constable, Matt Jukes - for their handling of the case and for the miscarriage of justice.

Michael would like to go back into prison one day and speak to the young offenders and to try and steer them away from a life of crime.

Michael said: "It's all about empowering others to get control of their life as I was only a kid myself - so they can do it as well."

"If I didn't go out that night, none of this wouldn't of happened and I could've been a proper father."

Michael is desperate for Saunders' killer to be brought to justice.

He was given the opportunity to speak to Saunders' sister, Phoebe, 94, and nephew, David who, he says, believe he is innocent.

Michael said: "It was a very emotional meeting, I remember saying it was a privilege to meet them and they said the same to me."

"They told me they believed I was innocent and I promised them that I would fight to find the real killer."