Jerome Kerviel, the rogue trader who plunged Societe Generale into crisis when he lost €4.9 billion, will today plead to be freed from jail, arguing he poses no threat to society.

The 31-year-old trader is facing charges of breach of trust, fabricating documents and illegally accessing computers after committing a series illegal trades at France's second largest bank that led to one of the world's biggest banking scandals.

Mr Kerviel will appeal to authorities to release him, a month after he was remanded in custody on the grounds that he could concert with accomplices or tamper with evidence if allowed to go free.

Prosecutors will tell Paris Appeal Court to send Mr Kerviel back to La Sante Prison in the centre of the French capital to 'avoid fraudulent concerting' with witnesses.

However, but Maitre Elisabeth Meyer, Mr Kerviel's lawyer, will point out that investigators have failed to demonstrate the existence of an accomplice.

Mr Kerviel says he acted alone when he took unauthorised positions totalling €50 billion on European futures' markets.

On Wednesday, detectives arrested Manuel Zabraniecki, 28, another SocGen trader and a friend of Mr Kerviel's. He was released without charge.

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