7:00pm Sunday 15th November 2009
By Timothy John
A MAN desperate for his son to be released from a Hungarian jail cell will take his plight to Westminster.
Mark Turner of Corfe Castle will hand over a letter for Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, urging him to secure the release of his son Michael, who worked with his father at the family’s Castle Inn pub.
Michael was extradited to Hungary on November 2 to face accusations that he and business partner Jason McGoldrick had defrauded 100 people following the collapse of their Budapest-based marketing company in 2004.
Michael’s family has not been able to see or speak to their son since his extradition from Gatwick airport.
“Michael is innocent of all charges. Any legitimate government has the right to investigate and to prosecute, but there are responsibilities that come with that,” he said.
“I just want Michael out of there and never to return. They are clearly not prepared to honour their responsibilities under treaties we have signed. As far as I am concerned they have disgraced themselves.”
South Dorset MP Jim Knight will meet Mr Turner at the Houses of Parliament and has pledged to hand the distraught publican’s letter to the Foreign Secretary.
“Michael is in prison without charge and is still unable to talk to his family. I find that completely unacceptable,” said Mr Knight.
“I have written to Jack Straw in the meantime, and to the Foreign Office and Hungarian ambassador in London expressing my concerns,” he added.
Prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate Richard Drax said he shared Mr Turner’s outrage at Michael’s treatment.
“This shows clearly to me that this talked about parity between EU countries is nothing short of nonsense,” said Mr Drax.
“Hungary joined the EU in 2004, a year before Michael’s company folded, and is using extradition laws introduced to tackle serious crime and terrorism.
“This is a Draconian way of dealing with an issue like this,” said Mr Drax.
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