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Monday, 14 October, 2002, 07:28 GMT 08:28 UK
Plane-spotters face uncertain future
The group of 12 British and two Dutch plane-spotters in the courthouse at Kalamata
The group during their trial
One of the British plane-spotters convicted of spying charges in Greece says there is confusions about about an appeal hearing in three weeks.

Paul Coppin, from Mildenhall in Suffolk, said phone calls and emails to the lawyers meant to be representing them have gone unanswered.

Twelve Britons and two Dutch people were convicted at a trial in Kalamata in April this year, after being arrested at an airshow in southern Greece last November.

Speaking on Sunday at Duxford airshow in Cambridgeshire, at which he was a special guest, Mr Coppin said: "We haven't really known what was going on since the first day we were picked up."

Lesley and Paul Coppin
Lesley and Paul Coppin: Due back in Greece

He and seven of the others were found guilty of spying and given three-year jail sentences, but were allowed to return home pending their appeals.

The remaining six plane-spotters were found guilty of aiding and abetting and given one-year suspended sentences.

Mr Coppin said of his forthcoming appeal: "Nobody's known what's going to happen every time we've been into court, so we've just got to go back and see what happens."

He and eight of the other plane-spotters accepted their invitations to the airshow at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.

The show was the final major display of the season at the airfield.

Mr Coppin said: "We were quite pleased, found it quite amusing that we were invited, especially when we learnt the theme of the show was spies and espionage."


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