Plane-spotters to learn fate in spying case

Twelve British plane-spotters were today finding out if they will face espionage charges after prosecutors in Greece called for them to face trial.

Twelve British and two Dutch plane-spotters were today finding out if they will face espionage charges after prosecutors in Greece called for them to face trial.

Three judges will examine the evidence against the plane-spotters and then decide how the case should proceed.

They had been desperately hoping that the state prosecutor would free them for Christmas.

But the Greek public prosecutor has compiled a report recommending that the 12 British people and two Dutch citizens should face trial.

The latest movements in the case were confirmed last night by Richard Howitt, the Labour MEP who has been campaigning for the group’s release.

He said: ‘‘Three judges will assess the evidence. I am certainly hoping they will decide that the charges should be dropped or downgrade them to misdemeanour which will allow them to be freed.

‘‘I am happy that we have succeeded in moving things on. I remain cautious about the outcome of the case.’’

The hearing - to be held in the Greek town of Kalamata - comes after the group were arrested on November 8 following organised visits to Greek air bases.

They have been behind bars since then but insist they did not violate a ban on photography.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also renewed appeals to Greece to release the plane-spotters.

But after talks in Brussels with Greek Foreign Minister Georges Papandreou, Mr Straw had no comfort for the relatives of those being held in jail.

He said: ‘‘Nothing would please me more than if they were released in the next few days, but I don’t want to raise the hopes of people detained.’’

One of the British detainees said yesterday they were growing increasingly concerned they will remain in jail over Christmas.

Wayne Groves, 38, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, said: ‘‘We were promised we would hear something by Monday or Tuesday last week, but nothing has happened.

‘‘With Christmas approaching we are getting concerned now.’’

Mr Howitt said: ‘‘I always held out hope for a decision this week and the fact that a hearing is now set is a breakthrough.’’

He said the fact that the hearing was convened just a day after the prosecutor’s report was compiled could mean either good or bad news.

Mr Howitt added: ‘‘It could be that the judges expect to drop the charges but conversely it could be a sign that they will back the prosecutor. No-one will know until today.’’

‘‘We have to wish the lawyers good luck on behalf of all of the families.’’

Mr Howitt said today’s hearing would be for the lawyers only, the plane-spotters will be excluded.

Earlier, Mr Groves told of the misery felt by those held at Nafplion prison, around 60 miles south west of Athens.

He said: ‘‘After 5pm we are in two parts of the prison. They put the bars down the middle, so we lose contact. There are three of us who are separated.’’

They had been trying to keep their morale up with quizzes, books and had managed to watch yesterday’s Premiership match between Arsenal and Aston Villa on television.

Relatives of the group have urged Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Foreign Secretary to apply more pressure to engineer the group’s release.

They say they are worried about the deteriorating health of several members of the group.

Particular concerns have been raised about 51-year-old grandmother, Lesley Coppin of Mildenhall, Suffolk, the only woman in the British 12.

Stephen Jakobi, director of Fair Trials Abroad, said: ‘‘The Greeks are seriously in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights Article Five which says that there has to be reasonable suspicion of a person having committed a crime or they must be freed, though it could be on bail.

‘‘Unless the judges decide to release this majority from prison, it will be added confirmation that the Greek judicial system is unable to comply with the ECHR.’’