Driver 'freed' by Moroccan pardon

A lorry driver imprisoned for ten years in Morocco after cannabis was found in his cargo may have been the first to benefit from a mass pardon.

Father-of-four Steve Bryant, 48, from Waltham Forest, east London was jailed for ten years in 1993 and was due to be released in a few months.

But he is thought to have been freed already following King Mohammed VI's order to release thousands of people from the country's jails to celebrate his son Prince Hassan's birth.

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Rabat said a prisoner had been released, whose name was Steve Bryant.

There's no evidence he was guilty of anything - it's a typical lorry driver's case

Stephen Jakobi, Fair Trials Abroad

"There are other cases that the consular staff here are working on this afternoon," he added.

Fair Trials Abroad has been supporting Mr Bryant, who always protested his innocence, for years.

Director Stephen Jakobi said if the rumours were true it was "wonderful news" and he was "absolutely delighted".

He said: "Steve Bryant is the oldest case that we have in Fair Trials Abroad. We've been battling for him for something like eight years.

"I've flown to Morocco twice over the years to plead with top officials for an examination of his case.

"There's no evidence he was guilty of anything - it's a typical lorry driver's case."

It is believed 9,459 prisoners are being freed, including 293 foreigners, while the jail sentences of 38,529 people are being reduced.

The embassy spokesman said five British cases in all were being looked at on Friday, including Mr Bryant.