Transport bosses Appeal for jailed driver
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• The United Road Transport Union is holding a fund-raising event to pay the legal fees of a non-member who is in a French prison on drug smuggling charges.
Owner-driver John Harrower of Oldham, Lanes was arrested in France on 4 June after 89kg of cannabis and over £10000 was found in two holdalls in his trailer, which was full of beetroot. He was on a return journey from Malaga, Spain.
URTU's interest is that drivers detained abroad should get a fair trial. Legal aid, an interpreter or a bilingual solicitor are not automatically available to Harrower, who has been refused bail.
David Higginbottom, URTU's general secretary, says: "In this country he would have undoubtedly got bail and a chance to carry on with his life while awaiting trial. As it is, by the time he comes to trial in France his life will be in ruins."
URTU's fund-raising event will be held on 6 October at the Poplar 2000 tnickstop at Lymm, Cheshire.