Brazilian prisoner gets parole

CRAIG Alden, the Warboys man imprisoned in Brazil for child abuse, has been granted parole by the country s supreme court. However, his mother, Maureen, told The Hunts Post on Monday that celebrations were still on hold as the local court in the town wher

CRAIG Alden, the Warboys man imprisoned in Brazil for child abuse, has been granted parole by the country's supreme court.

However, his mother, Maureen, told The Hunts Post on Monday that celebrations were still on hold as the local court in the town where Mr Alden is held has yet to implement the decision.

Mr Alden, 36, has always protested his innocence. For nearly four years, he has been held in Planaltina in the state of Goias, near the orphanage he opened where he is accused of abusing the children in his care.

He was initially sentenced to 48 years but this was reduced to 12 years on appeal.

Mrs Alden said the supreme court - some 50 kilometres from where her son was being held - had merely gone through its processes and begun a "progressive regime" which was similar to parole in Britain..

Previously, Mr Alden would not have been eligible for parole because of the nature of the offence, but there has been a change in Brazillian law.

Now, the supreme court has ruled he can be freed in the daytime on the condition that he return to the prison at night.

The next stage would be to allow him to stay out for longer periods, as long as he reported to a police station once a week.

Mrs Alden said: "The supreme court has the final say but the local courts can hold it up and there is no time limit for the local court to obey the supreme court.

"Our lawyers are trying to speed things up and may apply for habeas corpus. I am angry that Craig is still being denied justice because the courts have ruled that he will not be allowed to have a re-trial."

She added: "We are continuing our campaign to get the British and the Brazilian courts to look at his case. The Government has got to keep talking. Sense has got to prevail."

Mr Alden has a Brazilian wife, Marli, and an 11-year-old son, John. His mother said it was difficult for her son's family to visit him because it was a five-hour bus journey and there were restrictions on children visiting the prison.