By Ryan Dilley BBC News Online

Why would the British plane-spotters found guilty of spying in Greece in April, return for an appeal when they have little faith in Greek justice? Their reasons include indignation, principle, £10,000 bail money... and Mickey Mouse. When Judge Potoula Fotopoulou found 12 Britons guilty of spying on the Greek air force, she dashed four-year-old Isla Rush's dearest wish - to visit Disneyland.

The American authorities try to keep foreign drug dealers, terrorists, perpetrators of genocide and spies out of their country.

We want to return next week as free men and women, innocent in the eyes of the law. I'm not very optimistic

Plane-spotter Paul Coppin

Isla's father, 38-year-old plane-spotter Steven Rush, now falls into this latter category. He was given a one-year suspended sentence for aiding and abetting espionage.

"I'd like to take my daughter to Disneyland, but I'm not sure I'd get a visa. Because of the £25,000 I have spent on legal fees, my family hasn't had a holiday this year. The closest Isla will get to a holiday is coming to Greece for the appeal."

Aside from trying to clear his name - and clear the way to introduce his daughter to Mickey Mouse - Mr Rush says reclaiming up to £10,000 in bail money is a powerful incentive for him to return to a Greek court.

"Because I have a suspended sentence, I'm not compelled by law to go back. But they still have ten grand of mine and that's money I can't afford to lose."

Determined to return

Peter Norris, 52, is one of the six British plane-spotters facing three years in prison for the more serious charge of full-blown spying. He was only allowed to return to the UK on the condition he would attend the upcoming appeal in Greece.

"I've always said I would go back. But when we first came home, we were so shocked with the verdict that some of the group said they wouldn't return to Greece because they couldn't get a fair trial."

Peter Norris is determined to clear his name

Bruised by their experiences before judges in the provincial Greek town of Kalamata, few of the plane-spotters are optimistic about being cleared there at appeal. Some even fear a stiffer sentence of five years may be handed down.

"This hearing will be heard by more senior judges. We're just hoping they have a better understanding of the world outside Kalamata."

Lesley Coppin - wife of Paul Coppin, the man who organised the ill-fated plane-spotting trip to Kalamata air base's open day last year - was convicted of abetting her husband in spying. She was filling out a crossword in the group's coach when the alleged spying took place.

'I'm so outraged'

"I'm going back because I'm so outraged by the Greek legal system. I can't allow myself to drop it," she told BBC News Online.

"Even under Greek law we're just not guilty of anything, and yet they insist on continuing this farce."

Lesley Coppin: "I'm outraged by Greek law"

Mrs Coppin says she is angry that Greek justice does not seem to operate on the principle of presumed innocence.

"When the European arrest warrant comes in next year, anyone can be arrested in the UK and shipped to Greece. For this to work there needs to be a common judicial standard. Greek justice has got to change."

Paul Coppin jokes that his wife is on her "soapbox". "Even if Paul wasn't my husband, I'd go back to support all the boys," she says.

Mr Coppin says that until the Europe-wide arrest warrant comes into force, he and the five other "spies" could evade the Greek authorities.

"But it's not very pleasant living life with a three-year custodial sentence hanging over your head."