YORK plane spotter Andy Jenkins was meeting Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today to ask for diplomatic help to clear his name.

The 32-year-old is fighting to have his conviction quashed and wants Mr Straw to pledge his political support to the campaign.

Mr Jenkins, of Acomb, was one of six British plane spotters who received a three-year prison sentence after being found guilty of spying at a Greek air force base.

A further six British spotters were handed year-long sentences after being found guilty of aiding and abetting espionage. All the sentences were immediately suspended.

The group was holding an hour-long meeting with Mr Straw at the Foreign Office, which was also being attended by York MP Hugh Bayley.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Prime Minister Tony Blair have described the spotters' sentences as "disproportionate".

But they have been forced to walk a diplomatic tightrope as they do not want to be seen to be interfering in the Greek judicial system.

MEP Richard Howitt, who organised the meeting, said: "We will tell Jack Straw that we believe that political representation is absolutely essential to resolve the situation and clear the plane spotters' names once and for all."

Mr Bayley met Andy for lunch before going to the meeting with him at 2pm.

Before going in, Mr Bayley said: "I'll be telling Jack that the legal process is, of course, up to the Greeks, and although Andy maintains he's done nothing that breaks Greek law - and I believe he has a strong case - the point I will want to get across is that a prison sentence is completely inappropriate.

"It is one thing for Greece to say, 'We don't like people doing this and don't come back,' and a completely different thing to give a prison sentence."

David Davis, chairman of the Conservative Party, and MP for Haltemprice and Howden, met Mr Straw to discuss the case at a meeting yesterday.

He said: "I had a very useful meeting with the Foreign Secretary, which took place in advance of his meeting with the plane spotters.

"He said he would work on an international consular initiative to enable the group the freedom to travel. We both agreed they should not be treated as guilty criminals."

Updated: 11:45 Thursday, May 23, 2002