Nick protest goes to Number 10 (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Nick protest goes to Number 10

THE mother of convicted drug smuggler Nick Baker made a desperate plea to Tony Blair to help secure a fair trial for the former Cirencester chef.

Iris Baker handed over a 1,000-name petition at Number 10 Downing Street calling for the case to be re-examined.

Nick, 32, who used to run a sandwich shop in the town, was jailed for 14 years in June and fined more than £25,000, after he was caught with a suitcase containing £1.4 million of drugs at Tokyo's Narita Airport.

The father-of-one has constantly protested his innocence and claims he was framed by travelling companion James Prunier - an allegation strenuously denied by the latter.

But Mrs Baker and fellow campaigners, including MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford and the International Fair Trials Abroad charity have been urging the British government to put pressure on the Japanese.

They claim evidence relating to Prunier, who was later arrested for drug smuggling in Belgium, was not considered, and they are demanding a fair trial for Nick.

Speaking outside No 10, Iris said: "There's a British citizen in dire trouble and the British Government should look after its citizens.

"Ministers can talk to ministers, governments can talk to governments.

Something must be done. Why are we trading with Japan when it shows no respect for justice?

"I'm very angry. My son has lost four stone, spent 12 months in solitary confinement and he has not had a fair trial - that is all we are asking for him."

Nick's partner Beverley and two-year-old son George also travelled to London and released balloons outside the Japanese embassy bearing an appeal to the country and details of Nick's website - www.justicefornickbaker.org.

Sabine Zanker from Fair Trials Abroad said the conviction rate for foreigners in Japan is more than 99 percent.

While Baroness Ludford said it was clear Nick had not been given justice.

She said: "Nick was treated as presumed guilty. No-one is making demands to let a guilty man go free, we are just asking that he has a fair trial.

"The Government has been far too passive. It is simply not enough to say that our Government cannot interfere with another country's justice.

"We are talking about a country which is a major developed country, an ally."

Campaigners claim there is evidence that Prunier has tried similar scams around the world.

But in an interview with Central Television last month he denied the claims and said Nick knew what he was doing.

Iris is currently trying to raise the fine money in the hope that Nick will, at least, be able to serve the rest of his sentence in the UK.