# 25 David Fletcher wants a new passport

Phillip Hammond

Foreign Secretary

Parliamentary House of Commons

London SW1A                                                                                    29^th  October 2014

Dear Mr Hammond

Further to my previous 11 letters regarding Mr Fletcher’s passport. Pro Consul Nigel Eustace’s email to David Fletcher today – forwarded to myself – reads:

Dear Mr Fletcher

Apologies for disturbing you but would it be possible for you to let us know how your appearance at court resulted?

As it is public holiday the Courts and the staff at PJ will not inform us and we have not seen any reports in the local press. Therefore we do not know if it occurred or was postponed and whether the court supplied you with a lawyer and/or translator.

Finally we do urge that in your best interest you endeavour to engage a lawyer to assist you in your case.

Regards, Nigel

Nigel did not avail himself of the opportunity to visit Mr Fletcher  on 27^th, when he knew him to be at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Nor did the Phnom Penh British embassy provide Mr Fletcher with a letter explaining the FCO’s ‘accidental destruction of Mr Fletcher’s passport. I trust that such a letter is being prepared by you roffice?

Nigel is well aware of the visiting hours at the jail and could visit Mr Fletcher rather than send him emails which, as Nigel knows, Mr Fletcher only has occasional access to.

A very brief account of what took place in court is to be found at:

http://cambodia440.blogspot.com/2014/10/24-david-fletchers-court-hearing.html

In a nutshell:

I believe that Mr Fletcher is now well on the way to receiving a fair trial. If I am right in this supposition there is only one verdict that the court can possibly arrive at – namely ‘not guilty’. Hymens simply do not grow back!

If Mr Fletcher is released from prison he will require a valid British passport. Given that the FCO admits that it ‘accidentally destroyed’ Mr Fletcher’s passport a new passport must clearly be provided to him at no cost to himself. Could you please let Mr Fletcher know, through myself, what Mr Fletcher must do, by way of filling out paperwork, to begin the process whereby he is issued with a valid British passport.

best wishes

James Ricketson