A PLANE spotter from Kent held in Greece on suspicion of spying is facing new charges. Mick Keane, 57, from Burnham Road, Dartford, will appear before a judge accused of fresh espionage charges after a Greek magistrate examined intelligence reports.

Mr Keane was arrested on November 8 with 11 other British tourists after allegedly taking photographs inside a military base after an air show. Photographing military institutions in Greece is illegal and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. But all 12 have denied the spying accusations, claiming they had been invited to the country by Greek authorities.

The group’s family, legal team, and the British Consul had all expected the charges against the plane spotters to be dropped. Now they could face a new charge of trespassing at an airfield.

Mr Keane’s wife, Sue, said: "It is still a case of waiting. We remain hopeful but then again we always have been and they still haven’t been released.”

When Sue spoke to Mick on Monday night she said he was “keeping his chin up”, but now he faces another court appearance, either at the end of this week or on Monday.

The 11 male British members of the group, and two Dutch men, are being held in a prison in Nafplion about 80 miles from Athens. The sole woman, Lesley Copping, is in a high security prison with a women’s wing.