IT started out as a joke. But when Andy Jenkins was taken into custody at Kalamata airbase, it soon stopped being funny.

He thought it would be over in a flash. Surely he would be home soon.

He had not reckoned on the legal proceedings that were to unfold.

So for this unassuming man from Acomb, York, the "farce" became a Greek tragedy.

From his early days at Westfield Primary, Andy has loved planes.

He keeps careful records of each he has seen and badges from the countless airshows he has visited.

Arriving in Greece on a seven-day plane spotting tour, there was no reason to think anything would be amiss. After all, he had been before.

But eyes were watching Andy this time, and they were not pleased with what they saw. Languishing in jail, first in a police cell and then in Nafplion - reputed to be one of Greece's most violent prisons - it quickly became clear that Andy's journey home would not be easy or quick. In a sterile Kalamata courthouse before a local judge, Andy discovered his prosecutors could not agree on the evidence. He would remain in jail.

More than a week later, he faced another panel of judges.

This time there would be a decision.

Sadly not. The trio of judges turned up, but the evidence did not. Prosecutors had only prepared draft versions of reports into each group member. Again they had to wait.

It took nearly six weeks for the Greeks to agree that Andy should stand trial.

As he waited, so his legal fees mounted. Yesterday's news that his defence team demanded another £4,000 took Andy's spending to nearly £17,000.

The guilty verdict handed down by judges - there was no jury in court - has come as no surprise to Andy, who admitted privately before the hearing that he was expecting it.

There is the prospect of an appeal, which probably will not be heard until after the Athens Olympics - in 2004.

Even then, the court's inability to grasp the concept of plane spotting could still send Andy Jenkins to jail.

Updated: 09:43 Saturday, April 27, 2002