Thursday, November 13, 2014

# 34 David Fletcher abandoned by UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office?


Phillip Hammond
Foreign Secretary
Parliamentary House of Commons
London SW1A

13th November 2014

Dear Mr Hammond

It is difficult to find out anything from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court by telephone from Australia. All that I have been able to discover, with a modicum of reliability, is that Mr Fletcher is due to appear in court on 20th Nov. Whether this is for a hearing or a trial the clerk of the court could not inform me. She did say, however, that Mr Fletcher is expected to arrive in court with a lawyer and an interpreter.

The only information Mr Fletcher has received, via the authorities within the jail, is that he is due in court on 27th Nov!

In his last court appearance the matter could not be proceeded with because Mr Fletcher had no lawyer. The court told Mr Fletcher that one would be appointed for him. It appears that the judges have reversed their position and now expect Mr Fletcher to find his own lawyer. He has no money to pay a lawyer – the last of his money having been spent on a lawyer who did not even bother to read the documents in his possession.

It is impossible for Mr Fletcher, whilst in prison, to prepare for a court case on 20th Nov. If, that is, it is a court case and not a hearing that is to occur on that date!  And it is not possible for me to assist him in preparation for his court case whilst I am in Australia.

Does the British Embassy’s duty of care for a citizen of the UK extend to calling the clerk in the court and clarifying just what is to take place in the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on 20th Nov? Is it a hearing or a trial? If it is a trial, how is Mr Fletcher able, with no lawyer, to arrange for the calling of witnesses?

In the event that Mr Fletcher has no choice but to defend himself in court on 20th (despite the judges having told him he cannot do so in accordance with Cambodian law) I will try to do what I can from Australia and have published the following ‘open letter’ in the hope that two of they key accusers of Mr Fletcher will, if they are in possession of it, present evidence to the court in support of the proposition that he was ‘grooming girls’.


If the British Embassy in Cambodia has no intention of providing any form of consular assistance at this time, please do let him and me know. And if the Embassy is able to provide some assistance could you please ask Embassy staff in Cambodia to let us know what form this assistance will take.

best wishes

James Ricketson

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