The parents of Daniel Holmes, the Welshman who was controversially jailed in Malta for for drug offences have expressed their disappointment that the Prime Minister and the President have refused to consider an amnesty.

“We have written to the President and the Prime Minister saying that the crime Daniel actually committed, the time he has served is enough and they can show him some amnesty.

“They don’t seem to want to take any notice of that. The President recently made a big speech about the rights of prisoners, about how children shouldn’t suffer because their parents are locked up but they’re doing nothing in Daniel’s case."

The comments by Mel and Kate Holmes to Walesonline.com were made as their son continues to serve his sentence in Malta.

The President recently made a big speech about the rights of prisoners, about how children shouldn’t suffer because their parents are locked up but they’re doing nothing in Daniel’s case

Daniel Holmes, 37, moved to Malta in 2004 to pursue a career as a head chef and indulge in his love of diving. He was arrested in July 2006 and charged with cultivating cannabis.

In 2011, Daniel was jailed for more than a decade and handed a €23,000 fine for growing five cannabis plants.

After serving just over four years of his sentence, Mr Holmes has taken up poetry which he is publishing online with the help of parents Mel and Kate.

Speaking to Wales Online, his father said: “He’s keeping himself strong by reading and writing and trying to stay positive. I just think the fact of being locked up with nothing to do, he wanted to get his thoughts out of his head because they were going round and round and driving him mad.

Marzena Holmes with her daughter Rainbow, mother in law Kate Holmes and father in law Mel Holmes. Photo: Walesonline

“At the moment it’s mostly things that stem from the situation he’s in but he tries to write a little bit about nature and his love of nature. He writes largely in an attempt to stay positive and think about the future.”

Titles of poems Daniel has written so far include Mine is One Voice and Each Day, as well as shorter poems.

His father Mel said: “We had the idea of producing a book of his poetry. He’s been dictating poems to us over the phone every day and I have been compiling it all on the computer with the view of publishing them.

“We’re looking at using Instagram as a vehicle to let Daniel know what people think of his work. We have had quite a good response.”

After an appeal with the Maltese courts were rejected,  the family have taken his case to the European Court of Human Rights.

If an appeal there fails, they will apply for his transfer to a UK prison, but before they can do that he will have to repay his fines and his lawyers and court costs of €40,000.

“We’re finding it very difficult, especially since he has been dictating his poetry. It’s not easy listening to him and putting his thoughts down but we’re enjoying it because it’s keeping him positive and given him something to look forward to.”