FOREIGN Office diplomats have been accused of failing jailed deaf charity worker Ian Stillman.

In a House of Commons debate last night, MP Sandra Gidley said she had been "extremely disappointed" by efforts to support the 51-year-old, who is serving a ten-year prison sentence in north India.

Ms Gidley said: "It is a disappointment to the family that more strenuous attempts have not been made to plead Ian's case when Government ministers have travelled to India."

Ian, whose parents live in Tadcaster Road, York, and who lost a leg after a road accident, moved to India 27 years ago and set up the Nambikkai Foundation with his Indian wife, Sue. It has taught independence to thousands of the country's deaf.

Last year he was convicted of possession of 20 kilograms of cannabis - a charge he has always denied.

Despite being profoundly deaf himself, he was offered no translation at his trial - effectively excluding him from it.

The Evening Press launched a campaign to free Ian two weeks ago. It has already gathered nearly 1,000 petition signatures.

Ms Gidley, who represents Romsey, where Ian's sister, Elspeth Dugdale lives, said the Foreign Office could be doing more to secure his release on health grounds.

Junior Foreign Office minister Ben Bradshaw replied that his department was doing all it could. He said a press release would be re-issued in India refuting claims made in the country's newspapers that Ian was a wanted criminal in Britain.

- The Evening Press petition can be signed at our offices in York and Malton, or printed from the campaigns section within this website.

Updated: 11:00 Friday, April 12, 2002