AN artist from the North-East is due before a court in Istanbul tomorrow accused of insulting the dignity of the Turkish prime minister.

Michael Dickinson, 59, from Durham, faces up to two years in jail in Turkey for creating a collage showing Tayyip Erdogan as a dog on a stars and stripes leash.

He was acquitted of the charge in September 2008 and the case attracted international media coverage.

The acquittal was seen as a step forward in Turkey’s human rights record, with positive implications for its pending application to join the EU, but in June the decison was overturned by the Turkish authorities.

Mr Dickinson said: “Abdullah Gül, the President of Turkey, recently made a public statement saying, ‘protecting the freedom of expression is a must for a healthy flow of information to society, resulting in flourishing different views’.

“Let’s hope the judge bears the president’s words in mind when making his decision.”

Mr Dickinson initially fled the country, giving away all his possessions, and returned to his homeland.

But back in Britain he was unable to find work and was refused Jobseekers’ Allowance, as he was “not habitually resident in the UK”.

He returned to Istanbul, which he describes as “a city I love and feel at home in”, and has again appeared in court. The case was adjourned for the judge’s final decision.