Saudi Arabia To Release Briton Facing Lashes

Philip Hammond, who is on a key visit to the region, tweeted of his “delight” about Mr Andree’s imminent release, saying that the 74-year-old would soon be reunited with his family.

The welcome release of Karl Andree, a British grandfather and expatriate sentenced to 360 lashes after being caught with homemade wine in Riyadh, was on the cards before the meeting and confirmed afterwards.

The ambassador has previously warned of “serious repercussions” over the “alarming change” in the UK’s attitude towards Saudi Arabia, the BBC has reported.

Despite living in the country for 25 years, Mr Andree said he hoped his father would now return to the United Kingdom for good.

His daughter Kirsten Piroth said the news was a “huge relief”, and that it had been a “long, long year” of worry.

He said: “This is a good outcome and I’m grateful to minister Al-Jubeir and all other people who have been involved, especially the His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, for ensuring that we now have a good outcome”.

The ambassador criticised Mr Corbyn’s intervention as an example of “mutual respect being breached”, adding in an article for the Daily Telegraph: “We will not be lectured to by anyone”.

Mr al-Nimr was arrested when he was 17 in 2011 for taking part in an anti-government protest and now faces the death penalty.

Human rights charity Reprieve said the Saudi government seems to believe Britain “must keep its mouth shut about their horrific abuses”.

Mr Andree said he watched Mr Hammond’s statement on television and he had not been told of his father’s release beforehand.

According to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, he will be freed within a week.

Three of Mr Andree’s grandchildren had last week made an emotional video appealing for David Cameron to intervene in the case.

Mr Hammond is due to give a speech on extremism at the eleventh Manama Dialogue security summit this weekend in Bahrain.