LAWYERS could be on course for a High Court showdown as a freed convicted Merseyside killer battles for the right to publicly protest his innocence.

Eddie Gilfoyle left Sudbury open prison, in Derbyshire, on Wednesday, after 18 years behind bars for murdering his pregnant wife, Paula, at their garage in Upton, Wirral.

The 49-year-old has always claimed a miscarriage of justice and insisted his wife hanged herself in 1992 because she was suicidal.

In an extremely rare step, the Parole Board has put a gagging order on Gilfoyle or anyone speaking on his behalf.

His solicitors, Birnberg Peirce, told the Daily Post it was determined to bring a challenge and were expecting it to end up at the Royal Courts of Justices.

A judicial review could be agreed to debate the right to give Gilfoyle his freedom of speech.

A Birnberg Peirce spokeswoman said: “We have sent a letter to the Parole Board and are awaiting a response.

“Usually it takes 28 days, but we should have a response sooner as this is an urgent matter.

“We are challenging an order which is clearly unlawful.”