'No hope' for jailed tourist

Mr Sloan was visiting his mother in Tenerife when he was arrested

The family of a Merseyside man jailed in a Spanish island for an armed robbery say they have given up hope of him being released.

Kevan Sloan, from Kirkby, was arrested while visiting his mother in Tenerife in 2001.

The family says he was accused of a series of robberies - despite not being in the country when three of the crimes took place.

He was was eventually convicted of one offence.

Campaigners held a vigil for him on Sunday, but said they felt they had explored every avenue in their efforts to get him freed.

His sister, Carla, said plans to take his case to the European courts would take two to three years, by which time Mr Sloan would have finished his sentence.

Foreign Secretary

His father, Tommy, said: "The last two years have been frustrating for Kevan mainly and for the rest of the family.

"No-one thought for a minute it would take so long to get things sorted out and then not get them sorted out.

"All of the avenues we have explored over the last two years - politicians through the Spanish Embassy and Fair Trials Abroad - have failed."

Mr Sloan has already lost an appeal against his conviction and a meeting between the Sloan family and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also failed to produce a positive result.

Mr Sloan is due to be released in November 2004.