Thursday, Septembei- 2nd, 2004 No. 6,164


vertiser an imes III


news and views from the Centre of the kingdom


My living hell as a Thai jail inmate


EXCLUSIVE by Faiza Afzaal


. tially facing 27 years in an over­ crowded Thai jail for drugs offences, could be reunited with their son as early as Christmas


THE distraught parents of a Kibble Valley man who was ini-


2005. Earlier this week, Whalley resi­


dents Mr and Mrs Tony and Joan Egan spoke exclusively to the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times of their nail-biting wait as they pray their son will soon walk free from Chiang Mai Central Prison. Former Queen Elizabeth Gram­


mar School pupil Christopher Egan (34), was arrested in the city of Chi­ ang Mai on suspicion of narcotics offences on February 24th - two days before he was due to return to England to see his family after seven years in Thailand. The former English teacher, who


was bom and brought up in Mellor, had been jailed after allegedly being caught with eight amphetamine tablets in his luggage and marked notes. Christopher had been working ^


a university lecturer close to Thai­ land’s border with Burma, a job he enjoyed very much. Mr and Mrs Egan, who have only recently moved to Whalley, were


preparing for a wait of up to two years before the case went to trial. However, Christopher pleaded guilty to the charge in a desperate bid to save having to spend nearly three decades in health-destroying condi­ tions. On pleading guilty, his punish-


ment was immediately reduced to foiu years. Despite pleading guilty in the


knowledge that it was the only sure way of avoiding a possible lengthy sentence, Christopher categorically denies the offence. He spent the first night in a


cramped cell in soaring temperatures with 63 other prisoners and woke to find a rat between his ankles. In a recent depressing letter to his


parents he described life in the prison as “a living hell”. While Mr Egan (62), is delighted


th a t his son could be a free man much sooner than anticipated, he is deeply upset by the regular disturb­ ing letters that Christopher writes about the prison, where he is one of 4,000 inmates. After five visits by Mr Egan


involving in-depth private investiga­ tions, the family fully support Christopher and are convinced he is innocent and was set up. According to Mr Egan, Christo­


pher was arrested in the home of someone who owed him money. Despite a three-hour search by 12


policemen, no evidence of drugs was Wnd in Christopher’s home. His father, who is a former accoun­


tant, has for the first time spoken of his heartache of seeing his son behind bars. He said: “Chris has always had a


good job in Thailand and had a good quality of life. “He was earning good money and


there was no reason whatsoever for him to deal drugs. “When Chris was arrested, he was


horrified to discover the living con­ ditions in the prison, but was told to ‘grin and bear i t ’ or ‘swallow his pride’ and admit to the whole charge. So that is what he did. “I t has been provisionally agreed


with Thai officials that Chris could be home by December next year. “If his behaviour remains accept­


able, he could also receive a royal pardon from the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej - which means he might be repatriated to the UK by this time next year. “My wife, Joan, flew out to see


Chris for the first time behind bars in April and he broke down in tears the moment he saw her. “I t ’s hot, humid and dangerous in


the prison. More than half the 4,000 inmates have mental health prob-


• A stark warning to travellers - see page 3.


IT’S banana split for breakfast, double choc chip for dinner and tutti frutti for tea at Matthew Wright’s house! The six-year-old Clitheroe lad is the


Dream come true for Matthew! Lisa explained that all the Yorkshire


envy of his pals after winning a year’s suppiy of ice cream at the Royal Lan­ cashire Show. His parents, Darren and Lisa, were


curious when a letter arrived at their Warwick Drive home addressed to young Matthew. I t was from Yorkshire Dales Ice


Cream, breaking the good news that Matthew was the lucky winner of 25 litres of ice cream, in various flavours.


Dales Ice Cream kiosks at the show had pictures of cows on them, each with a different name. People were asked to collect the names of all the cows to enter the competition. With the first consignment of his


year’s supply just delivered to his home, Matthew is already enjoying his lip­ smacking prize, sharing i t with his three-year-old brother, Joseph, and his friends. Our picture shows Matthew making a


dent in the first consignment of his year’s supply of ice cream. (A310804/2)


Childminder on baby death charge


A REGISTERED childminder has been charged with unlawfully killing an 18- month-dld baby boy in her care. Wendy Dawn Barlow (37), appeared at


Blackburn Magistrates' Court to face the charge and was given unconditional bail. Barlow, of Eightacre Avenue, Sabden,


is accused of killing Joshua James Massey-Hodgkinson some time between April 16th and 17th this year. Her solici­ tor, Mrs Bridget Hibbert, said her client would deny the offence. The case was sent to Preston Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, September 17th.


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