THE brother of a planespotter cleared of espionage in a Greek court has spoken of his heartache after the death of their father.

Stephen Jenkins, of Queens Road West, Church, said the strain of the last year had proved too much for their father, who died earlier this month after suffering a heart attack.

"It all got too much for him. He just dropped to the floor," he said.

Mr Jenkins said this latest tragedy was the culmination of a disastrous 12 months, which began with his wife leaving him.

The family had endured a year-long nightmare after his brother Andrew was arrested in Greece in November last year along with 10 other men and one woman, accused of espionage while on a planespotting trip.

Their case attracted huge media interest and Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed the matter with his Greek counterpart Costas Simitis in a telephone conversation two weeks after the arrests.

In December last year the charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanour and the group was freed in time for Christmas on £9,000 bail each.

They flew back to Greece in April to face trial, and Mr Jenkins was one of six of the men convicted of spying and given a three-year suspended jail sentence.

The others were convicted of aiding and abetting and given a one-year suspended sentence. All 12 lodged appeals and flew back to Britain.

Last month they flew back to Greece for the start of the appeal against their sentences and were all cleared.

But more bad news was to follow when Andrew was made redundant from his job making freight carriages for a company in York shortly after returning home to live with his father. Then last week the latest cruel blow fell.

"He had been made redundant just after getting back from Greece, then a week later my dad died," Stephen went on. "He was at home with my dad so he's had a lot to contend with."

"Andrew is having a bad time at present. He's in dad's house and dad's car is still there. I have been over to see him and he will probably to my home at Christmas but there will be no great celebrations.

"It was out of the blue. First my wife, then the Greece thing. The Jenkins family are getting a battering."