THE Isleworth man being held in Greece on spying charges could be freed this week following the intervention of Euro MP Richard Howitt.

Antoni Adamiak, one of 12 British and Dutch plane-spotters arrested on suspicion of spying during an organised trip to airfields and an airshow four weeks ago, is currently imprisoned in Kalamata.

Mr Howitt, who has taken on the case, spoke with the detainees and called on the Greek Justice Minister to speed up the judicial process, which at the moment could see them held in prison until next Tuesday.

On his return from Greece, Mr Howitt told the Guardian: "Antoni came over as a very articulate, bright young man. He's been a plane-spotter since he was a child.

"My impression meeting him is that he's absolutely genuine clearly an innocent party.

"I think if any of the group are released this week, he will be in the first group that gets out."

Initially Mr Adamiak, 36, of Church Road, and the rest of the party had to sleep on the floor, but an appeal by Mr Howitt to the prison governor saw the group moved to a separate wing with beds.