4.  The applicant was born in 1967 and lives in Gdynia. 5.  The applicant was arrested on 7 November 1996 on suspicion of homicide. On 9 November 1996 the Gdynia District Court remanded him in custody for a period of three months in view of the reasonable suspicion that he had committed homicide. It held that there was a risk that the applicant might induce witnesses to give false testimonies. It further had regard to the gravity of the offence in question. That decision was upheld on appeal on 25 November 1996. 6.  On 28 January 1997 the Gdańsk Regional Court prolonged the applicant's detention until 6 May 1997. It invoked the same grounds as originally given for his detention. In addition, the Regional Court referred to the need to hear witnesses and obtain various expert reports. 7.  On 5 May 1997 the Gdańsk Court of Appeal ordered that the applicant be kept in custody until 6 August 1997. It relied on the reasonable suspicion that the applicant had committed the offence in question and the need to take further evidence. 8.  On 1 August 1997 the prosecution filed a bill of indictment with the Gdańsk Regional Court. The applicant and two co-defendants were charged with homicide and burglary. He was also charged with assault occasioning minor bodily harm. The bill of indictment specified that the applicant was subject to the rules on recidivism. The prosecution requested to hear more than one hundred witnesses. 9.  On 18 December 1997 the Gdańsk Regional Court ordered that the applicant be held in custody until the first-instance judgment had been given, but not longer than 7 November 1998. It reiterated the grounds previously invoked for the applicant's detention and added that, given the severity of the anticipated sentence, the prolongation of that measure was also justified by the need to secure the proper course of the trial. 10.  The trial court held 10 hearings on the following dates: 19 February, 11 and 12 March, 6 and 7 May, 29 June, 26 August, 5 and 7 October and 5 November 1998. On 6 November 1998 it convicted the applicant as charged and sentenced him to 9 years' imprisonment. The applicant and the prosecution appealed. 11.  On 19 January 1999 the Regional Court extended the applicant's detention pending the outcome of the appeal until 31 May 1999. It considered that the severity of the sentence fully justified the continuation of that measure. 12.  On 5 May 1999 the Court of Appeal quashed the first-instance judgment in respect of the charges of homicide and assault occasioning minor bodily harm and remitted the case. 13.  On 26 May 1999 the Court of Appeal prolonged the applicant's detention until 30 June 1999. It relied on the reasonable suspicion that the applicant had committed the offences in question and the severity of the anticipated penalty. 14.  On 29 June 1999 the Court of Appeal ordered that the applicant be kept in custody until 30 September 1999, relying on the same grounds as in its previous decision. 15.  On 14 September 1999 the Gdansk Regional Court prolonged the applicant's detention until 31 December 1999. It relied on the gravity of the charges and held that the initial reasons for his detention were still valid. 16.  The Regional Court opened the retrial on 29 December 1999. On the same date it ordered that the applicant be held in custody until 1 April 2000. On 19 June 2000 his detention was prolonged until 30 September 2000. 17.  On 18 September 2000 the Regional Court extended the applicant's detention until 31 December 2000. In addition to the grounds previously given, it observed that there was a risk of pressure being brought to bear on witnesses if the applicant were released. 18.  On 29 December 2000 the Regional Court ordered that the applicant be held in custody until 29 March 2001, considering that it was the only measure which could secure the proper conduct of the trial. The applicant's detention was subsequently prolonged by the Regional Court on 6 March (until 29 June 2001) and 19 June 2001 (until 29 July 2001). 19.  On 21 March 2001 the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of 6 March 2001 extending the applicant's detention. It observed, inter alia, that there had been significant delays in the proceedings before the Regional Court. 20.  On 4 July 2001 the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of 19 June 2001 on the prolongation of the applicant's detention. It considered, inter alia, that the applicant's continued detention was justified under Article 258 § 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure since that provision established a presumption to the effect that the likelihood of a severe penalty being imposed on the applicant might induce him to obstruct the proceedings. It further observed that it was clear that the proceedings had been protracted at various stages. 21.  The Gdańsk Regional Court held about 18 hearings. On 26 July 2001 it delivered its judgment and convicted the applicant of homicide and assault occasioning minor bodily harm and sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment. The applicant appealed. 22.  On 23 May 2002 the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the Regional Court of 26 July 2001. 23.  In the course of the proceedings the applicant made numerous, unsuccessful applications for release. He appealed, likewise unsuccessfully, against the refusals to release him and the decisions prolonging his detention.