British trucker's appeal delay

Mr Wilson's case was taken up by Fair Trials Abroad

A British trucker trying to overturn a conviction for smuggling refugees is struggling to reach his appeal hearing after getting caught in a huge traffic jam.

It is feared David Wilson, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Greek court last March, may not reach Tuesday morning's court hearing in Patras in time because of a farmers' blockade.

The 44-year-old HGV driver, from Wyke, Bradford, was jailed after 19 illegal immigrants were found on his truck last March.

Eventually he was allowed to return home on bail after he promised a judge he would return to Greece to appeal against his conviction.

Major blockade

Mr Wilson was travelling to Patras with his wife Tracey and a Greek lawyer to attend the appeal hearing when he got delayed.

It is thought court officials are also stuck in traffic.

Family spokesman Richard Frier said: "There is a major blockade in Greece at the moment with farmers blocking the roads.

"He was travelling from Athens to Patras yesterday (Monday) when he got stuck in traffic.

"He has been stuck in it for 10 hours and is still some way from Patras.

"It is unbelievable. It is just one thing after another.

Inadequate defence

"On the way to Greece the airline lost his luggage and now this. We don't know what is going to happen today."

Mr Wilson's ordeal began on a return journey to Britain on 18 March 2003 when he was stopped by Greek customs officials in the port of Patras.

He was arrested and 19 Iraqi Kurds found on his lorry were detained.

Mr Wilson was "fast-tracked" through the Greek courts and sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined £47,000 the day after he was stopped by customs officers.

Represented at the time by a local lawyer, the driver says his original defence at the trial was "completely inadequate".