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Truck driver freed from Greek prison
Page 6
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• by ekes Tindall David Wilson, the truck driver being held in a Greek prison after 19 Kurdish stowaways were discovered in his curtainsider, has been freed on bail and can return home.
Wilson was sentenced to 11 years in Alcida prison in March, despite written confirmation from the illegal immigrants—and their word in court—that he had no involvement in their smuggling ( CM 22-28 May).
Hs bail hearing was heard in Patras on 23 May where he was ordered to pay a guarantee of e2,000 (21,432). Wilson's truck has also been confiscated.
His brother-in-law, Richard Frier, says the family is delighted at the decision and welcomed him back to the UK last Saturday (24 May).
"His Millson's1 initial plans are to relax and get used to being back home," says Frier. "He has already had many offers of employment and in the long term he will go back to work."
Frier adds that Wilson remains optimistic he can clear his name when he returns to Greece for his appeal, appearing on 4 November.
"This is definitely very good news; it's a start," says Stephen Jakobi, director for pressure group Fair Trials Abroad. "Without this result we would be in terrible trouble."
Meanwhile Michelle Waddington, the girlfriend of another truck driver being held in a French jail, alleges that his fingers have been broken by a prison officer after a cell door was slammed on his hand.
Stewart Guy was arrested at Calais following the discovery of nearly 70kg of marijuana in his vehicle by Customs in January (CM 22-28 May). He is currently awaiting trial.
The British Consulate is involved, but can't do anything until Stewart gets in contact with them," Waddington says. "This is siliy because he is not allowed to get in touch with anyone."
In a letter to his girlfriend Guy claims he received no medical attention for his injuries; his fingers have just been strapped together. "It has panicked me quite a lot," she adds.
• Relatives of John Vasey, the driver being held in Perpignan prison, handed in a petition with over 2,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street last week in order to highlight his plight. Vasey was arrested in March after almost a tonne of cannabis resin was discovered in his truck.
• Another British haulier has been remanded in custody in southern France following the seizure of four tonnes of cannabis in his truck.
Customs officers near Montpelier used sniffer dogs to detect the drugs, which were hidden among pallets of fruit juice and construction tiles. The driver, who has not been named, denies knowledge of the drugs.