Glad to hear the Greek courts have seen sense and overturned David’s conviction on appeal.
I do hope that he gets adequate compensation for all his losses and the mental anguish he and his family have been put through.
Great news!! as he was proven to be an innocent victim of people trafficers, I hope now that our Government also review the plight of ALL truck drivers held on spurious charges in Prisons abroad. Lets hope we see all the other drivers freed over the comming months, and our Government getting involved in their cases
jimti:
: I hope now that our Government also review the plight of ALL truck drivers held on spurious charges in Prisons abroad. Lets hope we see all the other drivers freed over the comming months, and our Government getting involved in their cases
Good news indeed, but I think you are hoping for to much. It seems you are on your own if you have a problem abroad, unless you are a plane spotter or a drunk holiday maker.
muckles:
Good news indeed, but I think you are hoping for to much. It seems you are on your own if you have a problem abroad, unless you are a plane spotter or a drunk holiday maker.
sadly you are right there, honest hard working folk are not high on our Governments list of people to be believed, and it’s not just abroad, after all just look at our immigration officers who give those who force entry into our vehicles money, then take us, the “victims” to court for not doing their job for them. What a crazy world we live in!!!
They know that they are powerless to stop clandestines from moving around Europe, so have found a way to share the cost and work load by passing the buck onto us. What ( insert descriptive swear word here )
I dread every time I get stopped by any customs officers Abroad, after all, I, like all other drivers rely on the honesty of the shippers for what I am carrying, and I know that it is impossible to check a load properly for it’s content, so am powerless to prevent being used as an innocent traffficer of anything small enough to hide in a truck.
I always get the customer to seal my truck after it is loaded, and fill in a form stating that I have not put anything into the load area, and also that I accept no responsability for any descrepancy between the load and what is on my CMR, although I know this isn’t enough to convince any foriegn court of my innocence…Every time I get stopped by Foriegn customs officers and they break my seals I insist on them re-sealing my truck afterwards. they always refuse, but I never accept that and ask to see their superior’s, if they refuse I ask to see their Superiors etc etc, but never move my truck without being sealed, so I have no access to the load area. One day I may rely on that action as a defence in court.
Unfortunatly, as always it is left to the driver to prevent the movement of contraband and clandestines around Europe. What a dodgy system! 
Its a grossly unjust system.
If lorry drivers are accountable for the security & content of the load, then why not train drivers, aircraft pilots & ships captains?
What about the postie that delivers a letter bomb, or anthrax in a letter?
Driveroneuk:
Its a grossly unjust system.If lorry drivers are accountable for the security & content of the load, then why not train drivers, aircraft pilots & ships captains?
Train drivers have better unions and Pilots and Ships Captains are considered officer class and therefore trustworthy.
I feel a bit bad about putting my comments on this thread, We should really be cheering the return of David Wilson and hoping the same outcome will be there for John Vasey and the many other drivers stuck in foreign prison waiting for trial or sentenced on dodgy evidence
good news for david wilson and his family 
i know how hard it is
but we need a change in the international law
Pleased to see David has gained his freedom. I hope he and his family will be able to put all the past misery behind them and make a happy nlife together again.
I am constantly writing to our government regarding our drivers held in prisons both in the U.K and Abroad for various alleged charges, of course its the same reply every time, " we can not get involved in other countries judicial systems" Excuse me, they get involved in wars etc that might not concern them and the european ministers are no better. I have a letter from Neill Kinnock (transport EEU) stating that drivers are not held responsible for their cargo. My next letter and Fax to him was never replied to. Does one think he made a boo - boo yet again.[/b]
DITTO