AN Aberdeen newly-wed, held for more than a month in a Canary Island

prison while awaiting a date for his trial, was reunited with his bride

yesterday after being freed by a Judge.

After being told that Mr William Buchan's wife was coming to Tenerife,

the Judge decided he should be freed without bail on condition that he

reported to the court every 15 days.

Mr Buchan, 22, had been arrested during his honeymoon at a holiday

apartment complex, and charged with seriously injuring a French

holidaymaker during a fight. He was accused of knocking the man out with

a stick after chasing him into his apartment.

British consular officials were told by Mr Buchan that the victim had

sexually attacked his 23-year-old bride by the poolside. Mrs Sandie

Buchan was also hurt in the fracas. Police said she had fallen from a

balcony and spent four days in hospital recovering from injuries to her

hands and jaw.

Mr Buchan was ordered to report twice a month to a court near the

resort of Playas de las Americas, where the alleged attack occurred.

Mrs Buchan had flown to the island with her mother-in-law at the

weekend expecting to visit her husband in jail. Yesterday, the couple

had still not been given a date for his trial or told how long he could

expect to spend on the island.

There is nothing to prevent him returning home as his passport was not

taken from him.

Many holidaymakers who get into trouble on the islands return home

because of the long delays in cases coming to court. The majority do not

return for their trial, but face automatic arrest if they return to the

Canary Islands at a later date.