Edition 71
www.thecourier.es
Friday, June 29, 2012
Alicante’s shame as Brit arrests in Spain reach new high
THE HARD CELL
NEARLY 2,000 Brits were arrested in Spain in the last year – and more fell foul of the law in Alicante province than any other region. And as popular resorts like Benidorm prepared for the annual summer invasion of funseeking holidaymakers, the British Embassy in Madrid warned potential troublemakers: “Having a British passport does not make you immune to foreign laws and will not get you special treatment in prison." New figures reveal that between April 2011 and March this year, British Consulates in Spain handled 1,909 arrest cases involving British nationals - a 9% increase on the previous 12 months. Many, if not most, were alcohol fuelled and the total included 141 arrests for drugs offences. The figures are part of a By DONNA GEE 6% worldwide increase in Britons arrested overseas, "We find that many people with a total of 6,015 cases are shocked to discover that recorded in the last 12 the FCO cannot get them out months. of jail. Minister of State for “We always provide Consular Affairs, Jeremy Consular support to British Browne, warned: "It is impor- nationals in difficulty overtant that people understand seas. that taking risks abroad can “However, having a British land them on the wrong side passport does not make you of the law. The punishments immune to foreign laws and can be very severe, with will not get you special treattougher prison conditions ment in prison.’’ than in the UK. The statistics, released in “Whilst we will work hard to advance of the full British try and ensure the safety of Behaviour Abroad report next British nationals abroad, we month, show that Spain and cannot interfere in another the USA continue to show the highest cases of arrests, country’s legal system.
1909 arrests...and rising
Embassy can’t get you out of prison, offenders warned
with Spain showing a 9% increase. In a press release, the Madrid Embassy revealed that Consular staff around the world spend 35% of their time handling cases of Brits who have been arrested or imprisoned. They say many have unrealistic expectations of what the FCO can do for them and that Brits – particularly youngsters about to embark on summer holidays – should think hard about the consequences of running into trouble with the law. David Thomas, Consular Regional Director for Spain, said: "The police on Mallorca
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£90m expat winter fuel bill hits UK
EXPATS who have lived outside Britain for much of their lives could be entitled to an annual £200 winter fuel handout. Even if they haven’t even seen frost for decades! A Strasbourg ruling means the UK Government must pay the allowance to 444,000 expat pensioners in warm countries like Spain – and in tax havens across Europe. Currently, only 73,000 OAPs living
abroad get it, making a bill of £15m — but according to The Sun, if everyone claims it, this could soar to £90m. The news comes after an ageing Brit living in low-tax Switzerland since 1988 won a landmark case against the Government last month. Previously, the Department of Work and Pensions only had to give the cash to Brits living abroad if they became OAPs while living in the UK.
But the ruling means eligibility must now be extended to ALL elderly Brits living on the Continent — no matter when they hit pensionable age. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has vowed to create a rule on eligibility by temperature, saying: “We will fight these ridiculous EU rules. It is ludicrous we could have to pay more pensioners living in hot countries.”