TASTING freedom for the first time in more than five weeks, Andy Jenkins had only one thought on his mind.

The York air enthusiast was "desperate" to see his six-year-old daughter, Jessica, and the rest of his family after finally being released from a Greek jail.

Choking back tears as he greeted Jessica at Luton Airport, Andy said: "I've missed you so much, you little terror."

During an emotional reunion with his family, his Greek hell finally over, Andy was a picture of relief and defiance.

For ever since he was arrested, 38 days ago on November 8, Andy has steadfastly insisted his innocence.

"I've done nothing wrong, I'm not bothered about going back because I believe in justice and I believe it will be borne out," he said.

Asked what he had been looking forward to most about coming home, he said: "My daughter, of course, and the whole family".

Andy was arrested, along with 11 other Britons and two Dutch nationals at an airbase in Kalamata, in Southern Greece.

The 32-year-old had travelled there as part of a week-long trip organised by Touchdown Tours, a group which runs world-wide trips for airport enthusiasts.

Organised by Touchdown boss, Paul Coppin, who was among those arrested, the trip was billed as an "interesting excursion". It became a nightmare.

An avid air enthusiast, Andy has travelled all over the world in pursuit of his hobby. But it was a pastime which landed him a spell in one of Greece's most notorious prisons.

Finally reunited with Jessica and his family, tears were shed as he came home.

The Evening Press took family members, including Jessica, to Luton Airport, where Andy's flight from Athens landed.

Jessica's mum, Nona, said: "It has been so hard to explain to Jessica what has been happening.

"She has gone five weeks without seeing him while he was in Greece, but also before that she had not seen him for a couple of weeks. She has really missed him.

"When I was finally able to tell her that daddy was coming home, it was when I was picking her up from school.

"She was jumping around the playground, desperately looking for someone to tell."

A crowd of relatives and journalists awaited the planespotters on their return, with the reporters later retiring to a nearby Burger King to send their copy.

The Jenkins family also finished up there, having a meal and almost too exhausted to speak.

Andy's dad, Edwin, said of the ill-fated planespotting party: "They were invited to an aerodrome, they should not be incarcerated. It's their (the Greeks') mistake, I hope they put it right."

Brother Steve had some concern over Andy's £3,000 legal fees, saying: "I reckon we could get the money together at a pinch, but it will be a real struggle."

Andy was discharged from Nafplion Prison yesterday, after a panel of three judges agreed to lower the charges against him and his fellow plane spotters from spying to illegal information collection.

He may still face a trial in Greece in the new year, but for now his family are just glad to have him home.

Andy said the whole experience had brought his family closer together. Now they could look forward to "a very special Christmas together".

But plane spotting would not be taking a back seat.

"I will scrape together a bit of money so that I can go planespotting abroad again," Andy said.

Andy was very grateful to the mystery benefactor who provided his bail money even though he had no idea who the person was.

He criticised some coverage of his case in the national media, saying some reports of the conditions in Nafplion Prison were exaggerated.

"The conditions were reasonable.

"It has been made out that it was some kind of Third World prison hell hole, and that's incorrect. The people were fine and the guards were fine.

"I'm just positive that when we return we will be exonerated from any so-called wrongdoing.

"This was an organised trip with written permission, and someone has got their wires crossed, and the whole thing has snowballed. I still don't know why."

Updated: 12:07 Saturday, December 15, 2001