FEBRUARY NEWS!!

                                                    

“Appeal Postponed”

 

Hello Readers

                    This month saw the heaviest snow falls in England for the best part of 20 years. Lek and Oak found it such a unbelievable experience. Since their arrival in England 6 months ago now, both have been asking me often, “when will it snow, we want to see snow”! Well they sure got their wish in abundance, Oak just loved it!, Lek also, but the novelty with Lek wore off pretty quick as she feels the cold.

I think Oaks genes are 99% English, because he just rolls in the snow and he don’t seem to feel the cold no where near as much as his mother Lek.

I will endeavor to bring you some choice photos of Oak in the snow next month.

 

Disappointing news in regards to my judicial review hearing scheduled for its final hearing at the High Court on19th March 2009. Unfortunately, Mr. Fitzgerald (the Q.C. representing my case) has recently had a case listed at the Privy Council to represent a defendant who is facing the death penalty. Quite rightly in this case in England the higher Court’s take priority over the lower courts and as a result Mr. Fitzgerald Q.C. has no choice but to attend the Privy Council on 19^th March. As Mr. Fitzgerald Q.C. also wanted to represent me at my final hearing, he has sought permission for my solicitors to submit an application to the High Court to adjourn my case. My solicitors and I took the view it was better to request a short adjournment than not to have myself represented by Mr. Fitzgerald Q.C. upon receipt of Mr. Fitzgerald application, the High Court was agreeable to the adjournment on the basis that my case is listed for a full hearing shortly after 19^th March. The High Court indicated they were very much aware of the age of my case and the important issues it raises and for these reasons they were not prepared to adjourn my case without fixing an alternative date.

My Judicial review has now been re-scheduled for a final hearing on 23^rd April 2009, which is 5 weeks later than the original hearing. I am sorry to disappoint about the date change, so many of you who have a personal interest in this case (most of all many of my friends still imprisoned in Thailand), hang in there, its not far away!

We have now served all evidence on the Court and Ministry of Justice. All that remains for us to do is file a skeleton argument with the Court and Ministry of Justice outlining our representations Mr. Jones (barrister) and Mr. Fitzgerald Q.C. will be making at the hearing.

Keep everything crossed for us readers, prayers for us all most welcome for April 23^rd.

Carla Riozzi of Moss Solicitors whose persistence and hard work in seeing Justice done in our case has been unique and the case would have never reached this far without her extraordinary effort, we are very fortunate indeed to have you believe and fight our cause.

Max Duddles solicitor also of Moss solicitors: www.moss-solicitors.co.uk and of course John Jones, Barrister, Mr. Edward Fitzgerald Q.C. both of Doughty Street Chambers www.doughtystreet.co.uk  we thank you all!! For getting this far.

What ever the outcome the fight will continue. The final hearing on April 23^rd falls almost to the day of my 6 years incarceration.

Also its on St. George’s Day, a good Omen?,

                                                                       Lets hope so!!

 

The next few paragraphs were taken from a couple of books I’ve read and long since forgotten there titles, my memory especially my short term memory is in a terrible state these days.

“What’s my name again?”☺

Anyway!, both snippets I found very relevant to my own feelings and to myself in general. Some I’ve change slightly so it reads as myself.

Quote:

The day I had been arrested and later sentenced, I told myself that my life was maybe over. I would have to become a robot, a machine just functioning from day to day rather than living and feeling. I have now lived in this emotionless state for so long that I find it very difficult to switch my feelings back on again. I feel empty and without enthusiasm, a strange state of mind for a man who had just had such incredible good fortune: eg. (my sentence reduced from life to 33 years 6 months at my sentencing for a guilty plea on the 25 grams of drugs in my possession for my own personal use)

I knew I was in serious trouble, when the Judge got a calculator out before sentencing me!☺

 

Because of prison I’ve already lost 6 years of my life and still counting!! Time that I can never get back. I look at our son ‘Oak’ each weekly visit, to date 5 years 4 months old, unborn at my arrest and initial incarceration, born 6 months into my incarceration.

How much I’ve missed already, taking him to school, or to play football in the park. Only last week Oak asked me “when daddy come to the park with Oak?” (Heartbreaking for me). Obviously Oak still don’t realize he is visiting me his dad in prison every week.

How long we can keep up this charade, who knows!

I certainly won’t lie to Oak, at the moment the question of Prison just hasn’t arisen. When Oak figures it out himself, well then we will explain as best we can to him without lying to him, yet in the same breath trying to protect Oak as much as possible. If I am totally honest I feel I do not really know Oak who has grown up while I’ve been locked away. Prison visits with Oak in Thailand were few and far between, due to the very long distance and overnight travel Lek my wife had to make from her home in the north east of Thailand to the prison in central Thailand.

Weekly visits here at Rye Hill Prison in England are helping to bridge the gap between Oak and myself, we get more and more at ease with each other as the weeks go by.

I feel so guilty that I’ve not been there for Oak.

As my sentence stands Oak will be past his fourteenth birthday at my time of release. At fourteen he’s already a teenager and beginning to make his own way in the world. He will by then never just be my little boy.

Every time I look at my family the reality of what has gone already lost forever hits me.

The realization of how my mother, my wife and all my family has fought and given so much support to me in prison and also continuing to try and find  a way to shorten my sentence. It all weighs so heavy on my conscience, the massive sacrifice all have made and still the nightmare continues.

Without their love and support I would have undoubtedly rotted in prison.

I am so so very proud of them.

You don’t really understand what freedom of choice is until you’ve had it taken away from you. Being taken away from your family for something as trivial as my offence is not only a Travesty of Justice, it is inhumane, some of the damage done by prison can be defined medically. I’ve got what the head doctors call traumatic stress disorder.

My whole character and personality has changed and forever I suppose.

Before I went to prison I had no problems with being over-suspicious, no difficulties with showing affection, I didn’t feel depressed and have trouble sleeping. I didn’t know what a panic attack was. I was even tempered; I didn’t have the anger which I sometimes can not help from feeling now. Anxiety and confusion, paranoia are all part of everyday feelings now! It’s a crazy and very often all too cruel world we live in.

 

Now a little news of Oak, well he still has a few moments, paddies, tantrums, whatever you want to call them, but what boy his age doesn’t. He’s a extremely funny character and quite loving, very thoughtful nature way beyond his young years. His good characteristics now well out number the old days of the trouble some little Terrorist he was once known as.

To my mum who has sure worked miracles with Oak since his arrival in England and under the most trying of circumstances at times.

Mum you’re the most generous and most remarkable lady ever.

I am so grateful!, I am so lucky to have you mum.

Quite incredible mum!

My mum, Sister Paula, niece Megan you 3 deserve special thanks, love you all to bits.

All my family, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Second Cousins, friends all to many to mention individually, all have been so good to me Lek and Oak. I am blessed to have you all and I thank you all dearly.

 

That about all for this month readers, apart from to wish you all good health and happiness.

 

                           Steve Willcox