British pensioner facing 379 lashes in Saudi Arabia

A British pensioner who has survived cancer three times is facing 379 lashes in Saudi Arabia after being caught with illegal alcohol.

Karl Andree, 74, was jailed for 12 months after police found home-made wine in the boot of his car last year.

But his family fear he may not survive the physical punishment that will follow his custodial term and have called on the British Government to intervene.

His daughter, Kirsten Piroth, told ITV News: "I don't think my dad could endure lashes - he's 74 years old... he's not a fit man, I can't imagine any 74-year-old man that could endure that many lashes."

Speaking via Skype from her home in San Francisco, she said the family felt "really, really helpless", adding that it had been "very difficult" not being able to go out to the country to support him.

She added that the British government's representatives could be "doing something to make this happen quicker".

Mr Andree, who has seven grandchildren and is originally from London, has lived in the Middle East for the last 25 years, working in the oil industry.

Up until his arrest, Mr Andree said he felt safe living in strict Saudi, where alcohol is banned.

He has now served his jail term but is still locked up two months on as officials decide when to carry out the second part of his punishment.

As well as for health reasons, his three children Simon, 33, Kirsten, 45, and Hugh, 46, are begging for mercy on compassionate grounds because his wife Verity is dying of Alzheimer's.

They are unable to get to the country unless their father sponsors them, leaving him in prison without his family's presence.

Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, Simon Andree said his father and the family accepted that he had broken the laws of the land, but appealed for "clemency" after he had served his original sentence.

He said the family had made "constant inquiries" about their father's case through the Foreign Office with "no results" from the Saudi authorities.

A Foreign Office spokesman said embassy staff were assisting Mr Andree.

“Our embassy staff are continuing to assist Mr Andree, including regular visits to check on his welfare, and frequent contact with his lawyer and family.

"Ministers and senior officials have raised Mr Andree's case with the Saudi government and we are actively seeking his release as soon as possible," he added.