TEHRAN — Lindsay Foreman, 60, and her husband Craig, 68, both from East Essex, received 10-year prison terms in Iran last week on spying charges. The couple, arrested in January 2025 during a motorbike trip around the world, have consistently rejected the allegations.

Joe Bennett, Lindsay’s son, said his parents received word of the verdict after a trial that lasted just three hours. ‘They were not allowed to present a defense,’ he told ITV News. ‘We have seen no evidence to support the charge of espionage.’

The Foremans remain in Tehran’s Evin prison. Craig described his cell to ITV News as an eight-foot space with a hole in the floor for a toilet and a sink. He spent 57 days in solitary confinement there. ‘Emotionally and physically, it broke me to pieces,’ he said.

Prison rules limit the couple to one meeting a month, even though Lindsay’s facility sits just 70 meters away. ‘Seeing each other is the only thing keeping us going right now,’ Craig said. ‘I love my wife dearly. She’s the love of my life.’

The family holds deep concerns over prison conditions and what they call a lack of transparency in the judicial process. Bennett launched a public campaign for their release, backed by former Iranian detainees Anoosheh Ashoori and Richard Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe staged two hunger strikes during his own fight to free his wife from Iran.

Supporters delivered a petition with 70,000 signatures to UK officials, urging stronger action. Bennett pressed the government to move quickly. ‘We were previously told that once sentencing occurred, further action would follow,’ he said. ‘We now hope the UK government will act decisively and use every available avenue to secure their release.’

Craig issued a direct plea from prison. His one-word message to the UK government: ‘Help.’ He questioned the detention’s length. ‘I don’t understand why we have been here for 13 months, being held hostage in 2026,’ he said. ‘In what day and age does this happen? When does this end?’

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the ruling. ‘This sentence is completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,’ she said. Her office pledged to pursue the case with Iranian authorities until the couple returns home. Consular support for the Foremans and their family will continue, officials said.

The couple faces another court appearance in Tehran in the coming days. Their detention highlights ongoing tensions between Britain and Iran over dual nationals and travel restrictions. Bennett and supporters plan to keep pressure on officials amid fears for the pair’s welfare.