Family members have confirmed the release of a British man reportedly jailed for "homosexual acts" while on holiday in Morocco.
Reports says that 69 year-old Ray Cole, a retired magazine publisher from Deal, Kent, was sentenced to four months in jail after police found images of a homosexual nature on his mobile phone.
He was arrested last month, when he was four weeks into his five week holiday in Morocco, alongside 20-year-old Jamal Jam Wald Ness, from Marrakesh whom Cole had allegedly gone on holiday to visit after meeting him online.
It was gathered that the pair were approached at a bus stop by police officers who detained them on suspicion of being homosexual, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of three years' jail in Morocco.
The family feared that he was missing for nearly a week before he was finally able to contact them using another prisoner's mobile phone.
Following his release his family thanked the Moroccan authorities for "showing compassion".
A statement was posted on Tuesday evening on the Facebook page set up to campaign for Mr Cole's release.
"We are delighted to announce that our dad, Ray Cole has been released from prison and is on his way home," it said.
"We would like to thank each and every one of you here and in Morocco who has helped our campaign to secure the release of our wonderful father.
"We would also like to thank the Moroccan authorities for showing compassion.
"We would ask that you allow us some time as a family to absorb the news and to spend some time with Dad."
Mr Cole's son Adrian told the British website PinkNews that Moroccan authorities had failed to notify his family or the British consulate of the arrest.
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