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Indian court fines plane-spotters Indian court fines plane-spotters
(10 minutes later)
Two British plane-spotters have been fined 25,000 rupees each (£365) by an Indian court after admitting illegally monitoring aircraft.Two British plane-spotters have been fined 25,000 rupees each (£365) by an Indian court after admitting illegally monitoring aircraft.
Stephen Hampton, 46, and Steven Ayres, 56, both from Bristol, appeared before magistrates in Delhi charged with intercepting communications.Stephen Hampton, 46, and Steven Ayres, 56, both from Bristol, appeared before magistrates in Delhi charged with intercepting communications.
The pair, who had faced jail, were told they could return to the UK.The pair, who had faced jail, were told they could return to the UK.
They had sparked suspicion after asking a Delhi hotel for a room overlooking Indira Gandhi International Airport.They had sparked suspicion after asking a Delhi hotel for a room overlooking Indira Gandhi International Airport.
They were carrying an air traffic control scanner, a laptop, binoculars and cameras.They were carrying an air traffic control scanner, a laptop, binoculars and cameras.
'It's been horrendous''It's been horrendous'
The arrests happened during a security crackdown in the wake of a bomb blast in the Indian city of Pune, the country's first such explosion in over a year.The arrests happened during a security crackdown in the wake of a bomb blast in the Indian city of Pune, the country's first such explosion in over a year.
Speaking from her home in the St George's area of Bristol, Steven Ayres' wife Dorothy said she was "just overwhelmed" at the news.Speaking from her home in the St George's area of Bristol, Steven Ayres' wife Dorothy said she was "just overwhelmed" at the news.
She said: "At least I know he's safe. It's a bit of a shock, but a nice shock.She said: "At least I know he's safe. It's a bit of a shock, but a nice shock.
"I'm relieved it is all over and we don't have to go through anymore of this hell."I'm relieved it is all over and we don't have to go through anymore of this hell.
"It's been horrendous because its been so far away.""It's been horrendous because its been so far away."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that two British nationals were fined by the Indian courts. They are now free to return to the UK."A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that two British nationals were fined by the Indian courts. They are now free to return to the UK."
The men's arrest on 15 February came just two days after a bomb blast at a German Bakery in Pune, the first major strike of its kind in India since the deadly Mumbai attacks in November 2008.
The Labour MP for Wansdyke, Dan Norris, who had been supporting the pair's case, said he believed the men would be coming home next week.
He said they were free to go but that their paperwork needed to be sorted out and stop notices removed from their passports.