Convicted abuser 'near to death'

Alden said he would rather die than be in prison

A British orphanage director 40 days into a hunger strike after claiming he was wrongly convicted of child abuse in Brazil is said to be "near to death".

Craig Alden, 34, from Warboys, Cambs, stopped eating in early November.

He is protesting at "failures" of the British government to fight for his rights and said he would be "better off dead rather than rotting in prison".

Simon Trundle, a clergyman campaigning for him, said: "Craig is near to death according to local prison officials."

He is being held at a jail in Planatina near the capital Brasilia. Mr Trundle said: "The prison has contacted his family to express grave concern for his deteriorating health."

I would rather die than be branded a sex abuser Craig Alden

Alden can no longer stand up and is suffering intense pain and weakness. He had told a friend by telephone from prison on Friday: "I am not coming off my hunger strike... I am better off dead rather than rotting in this prison."

He repeated his assertions that he was innocent, and said a British Embassy representative had advised him to accept prisoner transfer back to the UK.

"I cannot accept this option as I have to confess to something that I have never done and I would rather die than be branded a sex abuser," he said.

"Maybe justice will never come - I have to face reality and I am sorry for the hurt I have caused to my family by my hunger strike but I feel I have to go on."