ALAN’S son Dean Hodgson has spoken for the first time since his dad was thrown behind bars.

The Walesman was just 17 when his dad made the fateful trip to Ghana – and never came home.

Now 23, primary school teacher Dean still vividly remembers the moment he was told Alan had been taken into custody by the police.

He said: “I got a phone call off my mother and she told me he was arrested.

“I thought it was something silly, like a fight, and that he would be released.

“Then four or five days later some people from the foreign office in London came and explained what happened.”

Stunned Dean says he was in “utter shock” when he was told Alan was caught up one of the biggest cocaine hauls in West Africa’s history.

He said: “I thought it was a wind up. That’s just not him – we’re talking about a guy from a small village who enjoys playing football.

“He has zero tolerance towards drugs. He would always tell me if he caught me smoking cannabis he would throw me out of the house.”

Since then, Dean says he’s had to be strong not only for himself, but also for his mum and Alan’s ex-wife, Teresa. He said: “It’s been hard for me and mum.

“I’ve tried to stay strong for her. I thought the authorities in Ghana would have come to their senses and he would be out by now.

“Obviously the thought of him being inside in those awful conditions is really upsetting.”

Dean says what keeps him going is the thought he’ll one day be able to pick up his dad from the airport when he’s released.

He said: “I would always look up to him while I was growing up.

“It would be nice to see him even for five minutes – I can’t wait to have him back.”