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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Barnsley mum discusses 'horrendous' waiting game as son awaits trial in Thailand

    A mum has opened up on the "horrendous" waiting game her family faces over the Christmas period as her son remains stuck in Thailand awaiting trial.


    Louis Bentley, from Barnsley, was arrested in Phuket in July this year.


    The 27-year-old had spent five years teaching English in China and opted to spend some time in Koh Samui when the coronavirus first struck.


    But he lost all contact with his family when travelling to Phuket and it was later revealed he had been arrested in the tourist hotspot.


    Louis reportedly spent two weeks behind bars and was unable to pay his bond after friends made off with the bail money he had given them.


    He has since been released from prison on bail and is set to go on trial in Thailand in February next year.


    Louis' mum, Michaela Bentley, said the uncertainty of the next few months is causing her son to fall into a depression.

    She said: "It's just waiting now. He's got his court date in February so we just have to wait until then.


    "He's getting really depressed. There are days where we can't talk to him because he doesn't answer the phone.


    "He has nothing to do."


    Following his arrest earlier in the year, Michaela raised more than £9,000 to pay for Louis' bail and legal fees.


    But the money has since dried up, leaving Michaela to work long hours in order to help her son get by.

    "We're sending over money to pay for his lodgings, food, gas and electric," she said.


    "I work 12 hours, four days a week, to earn money so that I can keep my house going and keep his house going."


    But mum Michaela admitted it was the distance between herself and her son that is causing her the most worry.


    "It's horrendous. We have no other way of finding anything out about him until we speak to him - we find nothing out from anybody else.


    "We're just hoping for a good outcome when it comes to the trial."


    A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: "We are supporting a British man who is on bail in Thailand and are in contact with the Thai authorities about his case.


    "We've supported him by requesting access to medical treatment for him, providing details of local lawyers, visiting him in prison and facilitating funds transfers from his family."

    Barnsley mum discusses 'horrendous' waiting game as son Louis awaits trial in Thailand - YorkshireLive

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat
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    "He gave his bail money to some Thai friends to help him but they just ran off with it. So now he has been left with no way of paying his bail.

    "So when he appeared in court without the money he was sent to Thai prison.

    Barnsley mum's shock as she begs for help after son, 27, is thrown in Thai jail - YorkshireLive


    THE mother of a Barnsley man who was being held in a Thai prison can ‘breathe a little easier’ after her son was granted bail.

    Louis Bentley, 27, of Bellbank Way, Athersley North, was stranded in a jail cell at Phuket Prison after drugs were discovered in his bag.

    He had lived and worked in China for five years teaching English but travelled to Phuket amid the coronavirus outbreak.

    After his arrest his phone was confiscated, which left his mum Michaela in the dark about his plight.

    Michaela believes drugs were planted on Louis following a dispute with a local resident.

    To help pay for his bail, Michaela created an online fundraising campaign which helped raise more than £5,000 in just 24 hours.

    Louis was unable to pay for his bail after he gave three of his friends in Thailand his savings of £2,500 with the promise they would use it to help arrange his bail. However his friends disappeared with the money, leaving him stranded.

    After almost two weeks spent in prison, Louis’ bail has was granted yesterday.

    “We still don’t know everything,” said Michaela. “All I know is that his bail has been granted and we can start moving forward now.

    “His friends from China have been helping us contact the solicitor out there and have been really helpful but these past weeks have been the worst of my life.

    “I can’t sleep for worrying about him and even now I still haven’t spoken to him.

    “Right now it’s just a waiting game to find out when he will appear in court and what can be done to help him, but I am so happy that his bail has been granted even though it’s a small step.”

    Jailed Louis bailed from Thai prison | Barnsley Chronicle

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