Brazil jails Briton for 48 years

But Craig Alden's family, from Warboys near Huntingdon, says he has been framed.

Campaigners say they fear for his life inside Brazil's prison system.

His case has been taken up by the campaign group, Fair Trials Abroad.

Alden left England 10 years ago for Planaltina near Brazil's capital Brasilia where he founded and ran an orphanage for street children.

The Abrigo Warboys orphanage has been run with help and support from individuals and churches in the UK.

In July this year Alden was charged with child abuse and was held in jail for 150 days before his case came to court.

'Prison threats'

"The police arrived here late one evening and told us they had heard Craig has been arrested for child abuse," said his mother Maureen Alden.

"When he was first arrested the other prisoners were told he was a child abuser.

"He has been threatened by those prisoners and they've put him back in that prison where he was threatened."

A supporter of Alden's work who went to Planaltina to look into the charges was told the judge refused to accept most of the defence case or any mitigation because his lawyer missed her deadline.

Fair Trials Abroad said they had severe misgivings about the case.

Spokeswoman, Sarah de Maas, said: "It appears he had no chance to prepare his defence and his lawyer does not seem to have done much of a job to support his case."

On Tuesday Mrs Alden flew out to Brazil to see her son.

She has not been allowed to speak to him since his arrest.