Yorkshire man jailed in Laos given hope of freedom in UK

A judge in London gave a ruling which means that the case of John Watson, 48, can be referred to the parole board "forthwith".

Watson, who was brought to Britain on April 7, was arrested in Laos in December 2003 in possession of 6,350 amphetamine tablets.

In March 2006 he was found guilty of trading and possession of narcotic drugs and sentenced to life imprisonment and fined.

He is currently serving the term at Wandsworth Prison under the provisions of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act.

Setting a minimum term to be served by Watson, Mrs Justice Dobbs said the time spent in custody meant he had served the equivalent of a 13-year jail sentence.

That length of time "far exceeds any sentence that this court would or could have passed".

She said it made sentencing "an artificial and difficult exercise" for an offence "which would not have qualified for a life sentence and where Mr Watson has served a sentence far in excess of that which could have been imposed in this country".

Describing the case as having "very unusual circumstances", she set the minimum term at six months. The judge's written ruling described how during his incarceration in Laos he had to go to hospital on many occasions due to his deteriorating health and beatings and torturing of foreign prisoners was commonplace. She said: "He had to rely on other prisoners for any sustenance and had to resort to catching and eating lizards to survive."