Freedom bid for Chinnick
Page 10
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• Mickey Chinnick, the British driver imprisoned in Turkey for drug smuggling, could be close to freedom after a Euro MP met Turkish officials this week to press for his early release.
Yorkshire MEP Edward McMillan-Scott met the Turkish ambassador to the EU to ask for Chinnick to be released early from his six-and-a-half year sentence on medical grounds.
Chinnick, who has maintained his innocence throughout, has a history of cancer problems and has been told he needs an operation on his prostate gland (CM 3-9 October).
Chinnick's fiance, Dan neke
Neale, has raised nearly ,C500 towards paying off his Turkish fine. Last week she collected £155 at BP Truckstop in Crick and 243 signatures on a petition highlighting Chinnick's plight. 71 Peter Hobbs, the London driver serving seven-and-a-half years in Bulgaria for drug smuggling, is to appeal to Bulgaria's Supreme Court on 18 November along with fellow driver John Mills.
Belgian lorry driver Frank Smets has been charged with smuggling following a Lllm drugs haul at Dover port this weekend.
• Fair Trials Abroad out of cash, see page 12.