Scottish guest house owner in Hua Hin deported

[Spitfire]

Thailand deports Scot on human trafficking claims


A SCOT suspected of human trafficking has been deported from Thailand after being branded a "danger to society".

John Joseph Alty, originally from Glasgow, was escorted to Bangkok International Airport by immigration police at the weekend after the UK Border Agency (UKBA) told Thai police he was suspected of the crime.

The 57-year-old, who ran a guest house called The Squealing Pig in the coastal town of Hua Hin, 180 miles south of Bangkok, returned to Britain "voluntarily" after paying for his own ticket while being held in custody. All deportees have to buy their own tickets.

Mr Alty, also known as Jack, was arrested at his guest house in May after a UKBA official in Bangkok acted on information received by the agency and notified Thai Immigration Police of his whereabouts.

The UKBA said the information was passed on for "law enforcement purposes only" and for the Thai immigration authorities to consider "the suitability of Alty to remain in Thailand".

A letter from the UK authority to Thai immigration officials stated: "Alty is currently suspected of involvement in the smuggling of Sri Lankan and Iranian nationalities into Australia and New Zealand.

"On several occasions people of these nationalities seeking entry to Australia and New Zealand have attempted to travel on passports in the name of Alty."

The letter further requested its contents "remain confidential and not be released to a third party or the media".

However, details of the letter were released at a press conference in Bangkok, where immigration police said he would be deported as he is believed to be a "danger to society".

Alty had earlier been deported back to Britain from Australia in 2007 after serving two-thirds of a three year and three months jail sentence for drugs trafficking.

He had been arrested at Melbourne airport in 2005 with two bottles of cognac which, when examined, were found to contain two kilos of methamphetamine with a 36.5% purity. He pled guilty to the charge.

His lawyer, Theo Kassimatis, said: "It was stupid, momentarily stupid. It was opportunistic ... and out of character."

Friends of Alty tried to fight his case in Thailand. They claimed a judge had ruled he was "not a danger to society" but he was still returned to the Immigration Centre in Bangkok.

He apparently changed his mind about fighting his case after another Briton was found dead in solitary confinement at the Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok.

Richard Ian Cook, 28, had been arrested and was awaiting deportation in connection with a raid on a Bangkok "boiler room" – an illegal share trading centre.

He had been put in solitary confinement after shouting at the guards, and is reported to have died from head injuries which the authorities said were self-inflicted.

The UKBA refused to comment on Mr Alty's case, but added that how deportees are dealt with on their return to the UK depends on whether or not there is a warrant outstanding for their arrest.

It is understood Mr Alty will not be monitored or spoken to by authorities in Britain unless he is wanted by the police.

He is the 13th Briton to have been returned to the UK in the last 18 months, either by voluntary deportation or extradition.

Among those forced to return were a number of child sexual abusers after the Serious Organised Crime Agency successfully sought extradition.

The most recent case was of Paul Martin Smithers, 59, from Llangeinor, Bridgend, Glamorgan, one of Wales's most wanted men. He was escorted back to Britain by Welsh police and sentenced to 12 years for child rape and assault.

Smithers had been on the run in Thailand and Bali for 10 years. He had been given bail between conviction and sentencing. Judge John Curran said he had shown "no remorse" for his crimes.

Also involved in Smithers's arrest at Bangkok airport were UKBA officials who have been operating a scheme called RALON – Risk and Liaison Overseas Network in conjunction with Thai Immigration Police.

Source - http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crim ... s.18299098

[sargeant]

His lawyer, Theo Kassimatis, said: "It was stupid, momentarily stupid. It was opportunistic ... and out of character."

dont these lawyers have any concience seems to me he is a career crim

[sateeb]

From Andrew Drummond

http://andrew-drummond.com/2012/07/30/b ... aling-pig/

[buksida]

From Andrew Drummond

Looks like a copy/paste of the original Herald article.

[sateeb]

With more information...Did you read it?

[JimmyGreaves]

That's the one on soi 102 is it?

[sateeb]

Yep

[STEVE G]

"Alty is currently suspected of involvement in the smuggling of Sri Lankan and Iranian nationalities into Australia and New Zealand."
"On several occasions people of these nationalities seeking entry to Australia and New Zealand have attempted to travel on passports in the name of Alty."

The cunning of the criminal mind!

[kendo]

Alty had earlier been deported back to Britain from Australia in 2007 after serving two-thirds of a three year and three months jail sentence for drugs trafficking.

He had been arrested at Melbourne airport in 2005 with two bottles of cognac which, when examined, were found to contain two kilos of methamphetamine with a 36.5% purity. He pled guilty to the charge.

My thoughts on that ......bullshit two k's of hard drugs and only a poultry sentence of three years don't believe that.

Kendo.

[Takiap]

Alty had earlier been deported back to Britain from Australia in 2007 after serving two-thirds of a three year and three months jail sentence for drugs trafficking.

He had been arrested at Melbourne airport in 2005 with two bottles of cognac which, when examined, were found to contain two kilos of methamphetamine with a 36.5% purity. He pled guilty to the charge.

My thoughts on that ......bullshit two k's of hard drugs and only a poultry sentence of three years don't believe that.

Kendo.

My thoughts exactly. There's no way you'd only get a three year sentence for that. Also, as far as I'm concerned, until he has been tried and convicted for trafficking, he is innocent. Isn't that what democracy is all about - innocent until proven guilty?


It's amazing how people are so quick to jump to conclusions when it suits them.

[margaretcarnes]

His lawyer, Theo Kassimatis, said: "It was stupid, momentarily stupid. It was opportunistic ... and out of character."

dont these lawyers have any concience seems to me he is a career crim

I'm afraid criminal defence lawyers can't really afford to have consciences Sarge! To be fair they usually do know when a client is guilty - and hate to have the wool pulled over their eyes - but earn their money by mitigating.
What strikes me as typical in this case is the way a confidential letter from the UKBA has been leaked to the press. Presumably the UKBA is working with the best intentions and in good faith with Thailand, only to find they are dealing with, in this case at least, a set of numpties. Little wonder there are so many alleged foreign criminals on the run in the LOS.
As for Alty - if he is guilty he probably feels a damn sight safer now in the UK, where another set of numpties maybe don't have the authority to do him on crimes which apparently don't have anything to do with his home country.

[sargeant]

Yes i agree Mags but telling lies should be perjury in my book defence lawyer or not

as for his sentence he plead guilty so i presume he got a short sentence with deportation

[Takiap]

Well Sarge, he never really lied. He did say it was stupid and opportunistic, and if you think about it, even planned crimes are opportunistic. People plan and then rob a bank because they see it as an opportunity to get some easy money.


Besides, these lawyers are merely serving their lying apprenticeship in the hope that they may one day be able to become politicians.

[charlesh]

Christ if he ends up in a pommie gaol he will have a huge client base to work from won't he? How he managed to get out of Oz is beyond description and words. This follows the AFP letting a known people smuggler organiser whose wife and kids have public housing (each) with all the advantages of our welfare system to escape back to SE asia. You gotta wonder don't you?
Then poor old Julian Assange is being persecuted mercilessly for having unprotected sex with 2 Swedish sheilas who from their stories on TV the other night were willing partners. Is the fix in??

[STEVE G]

He had been arrested at Melbourne airport in 2005 with two bottles of cognac which, when examined, were found to contain two kilos of methamphetamine with a 36.5% purity. He pled guilty to the charge.

My thoughts on that ......bullshit two k's of hard drugs and only a poultry sentence of three years don't believe that.

It was reported in Australia at the time of his trial:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 1113922705

He sounds a glamorous figure:
"The court was told Alty runs a shop in Bangkok that sells replica watches and Viagra."