A news photographer arrested while covering a Greenpeace demonstration against America’s “Star Wars” missile testing is hoping lawyers can win permission for his return home pending trial.

Steve Morgan faces up to six years in prison following his arrest at the Vandenburg USAF base in California.

He is a freelance who covers a variety of news and began his career on a weekly newspaper in Hull before moving on to the Yorkshire Post and then the Independent.

Steve, who lives in Frome, Somerset, is charged with conspiracy to violate a safety zone around the test and conspiracy to violate a military officer’s direct order.

He is prohibited from leaving California until the trial, which is about a month away, but lawyers have applied for travel restrictions to be lifted.

Steve’s passport has been confiscated by the authorities and the family has been in touch with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the Prime Minister and the American Ambassador.

His wife Heather has been devoting her time to getting the charges dropped – arguing he is not an activist but was trying to do his job.

He accompanied a group of 15 activists who delayed the launch of a test missile for 40 minutes by sailing an inflatable boat into the test area.

A petition has now been organised against Steve’s arrest and trial and more than 400 names have been added so far.

It has been sent to the US Ambassador for consideration at his trial.

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