The mother of Daniel Holmes, who was controversially jailed for 10 years on cannabis offences, has issued a heartfelt appeal calling for his release on humanitarian grounds.

“His sentence has punished us all,”Kate Holmes said yesterday.

“I think most will understand the suffering that we, his parents, have had to bear, and it is we who will have to pay his fine and court costs, as we have already paid his legal fees. Daniel has no assets – there was never any evidence showing he had any money.”

His father suffered a stroke in February and doubts he will ever see his son freed. Meanwhile, Daniel’s wife shows incredible strength and his daughter spent her fourth Christmas without her father, she added.

“Daniel spent part of Christmas Day washing his clothes and bedding in a bucket in his cell, trying to dry them there. This is not justice.”

Mr Holmes was 28 when he was arrested in 2006 at his Gozo flat, where he was growing cannabis plants that he claimed were for his personal use. The police said he was found with just over a kilo of dried cannabis and 0.24 grammes of cannabis resin with a total value of €11,694.44.

He was charged with the importation, cultivation, possession and sale of cannabis.

When so many countries are reviewing their drug laws, why will Malta not reconsider?

In 2011, he was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison and fined €23,000, a judgment confirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in 2013. Mr Holmes’ cause was taken up by drug reform campaigners who felt his heavy punishment exposed glaring problems with the justice system.

His mother yesterday insisted that the procedure and evidence presented in the courts was “flawed” and despite such issues being highlighted several times over the years, the problem remained unaddressed. This was not justice, she reiterated.

“We cannot believe it possible that our son is wasting his life in prison when US President Barack Obama is reviewing and releasing criminals early from their drug-related sentences… Frenċ tal-Għarb cured many sick people in Malta and Gozo during his lifetime and his secret medicine is now known to be cannabis.

“When so many countries in Europe are reviewing their drug laws and legalising marijuana, why will Malta not reconsider the effect of imprisonment on Daniel and his family, and others jailed for drug offences,” she asked.