´óÏó´«Ã½

A woman has spent almost three months in a Portuguese prison after being accused of assaulting a police officer.

Sophie Grey, 25, from Monmouth, was arrested at the end of April after an altercation between her boyfriend and the officer, her father said.

He said she had been refused bail, so could spend five months in the prison near Lisbon waiting for her trial, which starts on 22 September.

Monmouth MP David Davies has asked UK officials to look into the case.

Roger Grey, the woman's father, said: "Five months in prison is long time for a minor crime."

He said he found his daughter accommodation in Portugal but as there was not a family member living there, police feared she could abscond.

"Despite her situation she is coping quite well, but we are all very concerned about her," he added.

Mr Davies said: "In the UK this sort of crime wouldn't have been dealt with like this, one of the charges appears to be for shouting at an officer, so I am concerned.

"I have made my concerns known to the Portuguese ambassador and [Foreign Secretary] Boris Johnson and his office are looking into this."

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We are continuing to support a British woman held in pre-trial detention in Portugal and remain in contact with the local authorities."