Tom Hayes, the former banker convicted for his role in rigging the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), says "traders like me should not be in prison" because the Bank of England pressured commercial banks to keep LIBOR low. Hayes, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in LIBOR rigging, said in a statement sent to Business Insider from Lowdham Grange prison: "The involvement of the Bank of England in lowballing LIBOR was a key plank of my defence." "The prosecution did not give me the evidence I needed to prove it and my jury were misled. It is my view that there should be an urgent public inquiry ... (full story)