THE SON of deaf charity worker Ian Stillman has told the Evening Press he hopes his father's plight could help thousands of hearing-impaired Indian people.

Ian, 51, whose parents live in Tadcaster Road, York, and who had a leg amputated after a road accident, is spending his 576th day in a prison near Simla, northern India, after being convicted of cannabis possession - a charge he has always denied.

The Evening Press is campaigning for him to be released. At his trial he was denied a sign language translator, meaning he had no understanding of what was being said.

It has been described by one senior civil rights campaigner as "the worst miscarriage of justice I have dealt with."

"If it was only an innocent man who had been locked up, it would be very difficult to cope with," said Ian's 23-year-old son, Lennie.

"There would only be the injustice to fight against."

But if an appeal against Ian's conviction, being prepared for India's Supreme Court now, is successful, it could change the country's law. Deaf prisoners would get a legal right to a translator.

"If we prepare my dad's case well, we have the potential to help thousands of deaf people in India, and that makes it so much easier to carry on," he said. Lennie's mother Sue and 20-year-old sister Anita, who is autistic, are living in Madras, more than 100 hours train journey away. They are trying to save the charity which Ian and his wife have spent nearly 30 years of their lives setting up.

The Nambikkai Foundation has taught independence skills to more than 1,000 deaf young people in India.

Lennie moved to Shimla when Ian was convicted last June.

"I am the only person he can speak to on a regular basis, and I am the channel through which the rest of his family hears," he said.

"I am supposed to be able to see him three times a week, but realistically it is more like once. If I get nice guards I can get 40 minutes with him, others will allow only 20 and others will turn me back. It's the luck of the draw.

"All the legal matters have to be told to him through me, and we spend a lot of time talking about his health. That takes up most of our time."

Ian has been told about the campaign, and Lennie keeps up to date with it on the Evening Press' website www.thisisyork.co.uk

"I have spoken to him about it and he's very pleased, but I think it's difficult for him to have any kind of image beyond what's going on inside the prison," said Lennie.

"He has to let the family concentrate on getting him released, while he concentrates on his health and his life inside prison."

Ian has recently been diagnosed as having circulatory problems which could lead to amputation of body parts if he is not immediately treated.

"That is our number one concern now," said Lennie. "We must push to get treatment."

lThe Evening Press' Free Ian Stillman petition can be signed at the reception area of our offices in York and Malton, where copies can be collected. They can also be printed from the campaigns section of this website.

Updated: 11:32 Friday, March 29, 2002