Pensioner faces lashing over homebrew alcohol

A British pensioner is facing a punishment of 360 lashes after police in Saudi Arabia discovered bottles of home brewed alcohol in the boot of his car.

Karl Andree, 74, was jailed for a year after he was pulled over and arrested by religious police in Saudi Arabia, where alcohol is illegal, in August 2014.

As the one-year prison sentence has been completed, his family believed the lashes would not be handed out, given Andree’s age and health. However there now appears to be “some question mark” over the punishment, which his family believe would kill him.

Mr Andree, who works in the oil industry, has lived in Saudi Arabia for the past 25 years. His daughter Kirsten Piroth told the BBC that her father had “paid for what he did” and should now be released.

“He’s an old man, he’s 74, he’s survived three types of cancer with very strong cancer treatments, he’s asthmatic, he has gout – he’s not very well,” she said. “He’s got a great spirit but his bodily health is not great and I just feel like he received his sentence and he did his time and I just want him home now.”

Andree’s family has today asked Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene to prevent the punishment, while the the Foreign Office is also working to secure his release.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: “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.”

The Foreign Office website warns that penalties for possessing alcohol in Saudi Arabia are “severe”. The country also upholds laws against women driving, adultery, homosexuality and drug smuggling, which is punishable by death.