Thread: Would 7000 Thais help you to stay?

Local hero: Shetland islanders celebrate as Thai man caught up in foreign prisoners row beats deportation threat and wins his right to stay


Local hero? What did he do burn down the town bully's house?

"The reason Mr Makao is now in jail dates back to 2 February, 2002 when, aged 20, he set fire to a car and a portable building belonging to a local fishmongers, causing damage estimated at more than £40,000. He later pleaded guilty to two charges of culpable and reckless fireraising. The court heard that at the time he was drunk and acting with another person.
His solicitor said it was "two moments of madness" and the procurator-fiscal admitted his behaviour was out of character. In January, 2004 Mr Makao was jailed for 15 months for his first offence, ultimately serving eight months, although no threat of deportation was raised.
Friends attribute Mr Makao's lapse to "serious personal difficulties" at the time. His step- father had died suddenly of lung cancer and, shortly before the fireraising incident, a baby he had with a long-time girlfriend died only hours after being born"