Mother thanks Nick's supporters (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Mother thanks Nick's supporters

THE mother of convicted drug smuggler Nick Baker says she is incredibly thankful for the support she has received in recent weeks.

Iris, who lives in Cirencester, has been desperately trying to pay off her son's £15,000 fine to save him from another 150 days in solitary confinement.

Nick was jailed for 14 years in 2002 for carrying £1.4 million worth of drugs through Tokyo's Narita Airport.

He has always protested his innocence, claiming he was framed by his travelling companion James Prunier, who later committed suicide in August 2004.

Since Nick's imprisonment in Japan Iris has been leading a high-profile campaign to raise awareness of her son's case.

She believes her son did not receive a fair trial and has suffered unreasonably at the hands of the Japanese authorities.

Nevertheless, Nick lost his appeal at Tokyo High Court in October.

The 34-year-old did have his sentence reduced to 11 years by the Japanese judge, but the original guilty verdict was upheld.

Furthermore, the Cotswold father was told he cannot begin the new stretch until his financial debt is cleared - so mother Iris launched an appeal for help.

She said: "I've been overwhelmed by people's kindness. Thank you is a very small word, but from my heart I thank you all.

"Many of you are strangers to me, but you have given me the strength and hope to continue to fight for justice and human rights.

"It is wonderful to know that people care and do not judge until they know the full story.

"I wouldn't like any parent to have to travel the road I have travelled over the past three and a half years."

Nick could now try to pursue his appeal through the Japanese Supreme Court, but the chances of having the case heard there are slim, his mother said.

Nick also faces a legal fight to be allowed to serve the rest of his sentence in the UK.

Iris said: "I hope that those of you who write to Nick will continue to do so as long as you can.

"I will continue to fight for Nick, and I also hope to set up a foundation with another mum in similar circumstances.

"We hope to pool our new-found knowledge to put pressure on government ministers to do more to help British people who are in trouble in other countries."