THE sister of jailed deaf charity worker Ian Stillman is to lead a special church service calling for his release.

Alison Phelps, who lives in Leeds, will speak about her brother and the campaign to free him at St Edward the Confessor's church in Dringhouses, York.

The church, opposite Ian's parents' Tadcaster Road home, has been central in the fight to free him from an Indian jail where he is serving a ten year sentence for possessing 20 kilograms of cannabis.

He has always denied the charge.

Vicar Martin Baldock said: "One of the ten commandments concerns lying, and it seems that a lie told by somebody somewhere along the way has led to Ian being in prison now.

"I am convinced he is innocent and a lot of people in York think the same.

"Alison has agreed to speak at the service, and I have invited Ian's parents Roy and Monica to lead the prayers."

Ian, himself a committed Christian, went to India 27 years ago as a missionary. He met his Indian wife Sue and set up the Nambikkai Foundation which has taught independence skills to more than 1,000 deaf Indians.

He is profoundly deaf and had a leg amputated five years ago after a road accident.

His trial last year has been condemned by human rights campaigners because he was offered no translation of what was being said effectively excluding him from the proceedings.

For months, Mr Baldock displayed a Free Ian Stillman sign outside the church.

Last month, he told the Evening Press that he knows something of what Ian must feel, after he was arrested twice while working in Zambia, although both times he was released.

"I remember how it felt when the police came and took me away, I remember the fear and the uncertainly, thinking I could be facing years in prison," he said.

"What has happened to Ian is completely unjust."

Ian's mother Monica said: "The campaign to free Ian has been given a lot of support and Mr Baldock has been very good to us."

Since the Evening Press launched a campaign to free Ian two weeks ago, about 1,000 signatures have been collected.

The church service is being held on April 28 at 6.30pm.

For more information, and to obtain a Free Ian Stillman petition form click here

Updated: 08:50 Friday, April 19, 2002