Just had my mother on the phone in a bit of a flap, after she got home to find a court summons from some court in Bulgaria demanding her attendance in a fortnight to give evidence against someone who is being prosecuted for stealing her handbag 7 years ago!

Presume she can just ignore it without consequence – she’s in her 60s and obviously doesn’t want to go there all alone?

I wouldn’t bother. I wouldn’t be worried about the consequence either.

I doubt they’d extradite her for non attendance, but I am not an expert on Bulgarian criminal or international law.

I would not presume anything of the sort. Failing to attend a summons to court here gets you locked up straight away does it not?

You or she could always try to get in touch and ask?

Yes, but this isn’t here, it’s in Bulgaria. The British police aren’t going to come knocking for you.

Sort of TJ, but they’re hardly likely to come over to get her are they?

european extradition warrent?

For that?

TJ, get a grip. She’s a witness in the alleged crime, not the alleged criminal. The worst that will happen is the Bulgarian version of the CPS will drop the case.

Is he in a union.

scam perhaps?

Union – assuming you mean for legal advice? I think she is, a teaching one. Will suggest that.

Scam – don’t think so, it was sent Special Delivery and has a Home Office covering letter. And it does relate to a real incident.

Ask these, I bet they know!

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London
186-188 Queen’s Gate
London SW7 5HL
Tel: +44 20 7581 3144, +44 20 75849400
Fax: +44 20 7584 4948
E-mail: ambass.office@bulgarianembassy.org.uk

Might even get a free holiday out of it! (I knew I guy who was called to give evidence in an american trial, said he couldn’t afford the flight/hotels etc, US Govt flew him over, paid for hotels, let him stay for a week and was only in court 2 days etc)

or ask the UK Foriegn Office

She’s off to see the village solicitor tomorrow, so we’ll see what he says. Thanks.

Have they returned the handbag?

Doesn’t she have a tame doctor? I’m sure mine would consider me inapt for travel if I asked him (probably shortly asking him to sign to say I’m fit for a race licence).

No handbag, no idea how they’ve ‘solved’ it, probably as shoddy as most of my investigations, still, they’ve stuck at it I suppose!

I suggested a doctor’s letter – she has some sort of anxiety issues already that he knows about.

european extradition warrent?

They’re used against defendants and prison escapees, not witnesses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Arrest_Warrant

Presume she can just ignore it without consequence

Apart from the consequence of the bag thief getting off with it.

what’s TJ been smoking? oh, hang on he’s always like this 😉

yes TJ im really sure they’ll extredite a witness for failing to turn up to court for her own handbag being nicked.

Just contact the foreign office and ask for advice, they’re very helpful.

Hence the question mark I used – I wondered if they would 🙄

She’s off to see the village solicitor tomorrow, so we’ll see what he says.

I can’t see why you’d bother with that when you already have TJ’s advice.

I can’t see why you’d bother with that when you already have TJ’s advice.

LOL

She’s not a STWer, so doesn’t know TJ.

TandemJeremy – Member

I would not presume anything of the sort. Failing to attend a summons to court here gets you locked up straight away does it not?

No, it’s Bulgaria, they do things differently

Are they going to pay travel expenses?

It says expenses will be paid, although in lev, and no indication of how much.

Foreign Office can’t advise apparently.

Free holiday then, what’s the problem? 🙂

Free holiday then, what’s the problem?

she might have been traumatised by the original incident – making her go back to the country of the crime might be too much for her to bear.

Free holiday then, what’s the problem?

Potential to get her hand bag nicked, according to past experience.

Other countries are allowed to have different laws and some of those end up being different from the bestest country in the whole wide world. Best not to ignore I would imagine.

Now I’d refuse/ignore unless I precisely knew what their powers over witnesses are.
It’s not totally unheard of in some places to lock witnesses up if there’s any doubt over evidence until they investigate
I seem to recall one case – SE Asia IIRC – where the witness ended up being the accused.

I’m not saying that would be the case here at all, but I’d ask them if they could arrange video evidence if at all possible.

To be fair to TJ, the European Arrest Warrant has been used pretty trivially by the Poles so it is probably worth putting a call into the foreign office just to put her mind at rest.

Edit: Did not see post about FO.

Predictable TJ bashing, thought his advice was good. “Don’t ignore it, it could be serious if you do” but all the experts on Bulgarian law quickly sorted it out.

EVER HEARD OF SKYPE!?

😳

Predictable TJ bashing, thought his advice was good.

I’m in the TJ fan club but his two contributions were a misrepresentation of what happens in the UK and a reference to something that isn’t used for witnesses.

Foreign courts can normally do video link for witnesses abroad.