SuppliedA dad has been stuck in Thailand for months awaiting trial over “mistakenly” taking someone else’s phone in a bar.
Rory McColl arrived in Bangkok on March 9 for a holiday but ended up in jail after being accused of stealing a mobile in a bar.
The father-of-one from Edinburgh says the incident was a “misunderstanding” after picking up the device thinking it was his.
CCTV footage shows security staff at the bar searching Rory for the phone, while a woman appears to confirm it is hers.
SuppliedHe was arrested by local authorities and spent two nights in jail before being charged.
His parents say he was then assigned a lawyer, but had to find a new one because he didn’t think he had his best interests at heart.
His mum, Helen, said: “They met at the court and he said to Rory, ‘This isn’t a good day, it’s a bad judge, he will send you to jail’.
“That petrified Rory. He would fast-track him for more money, and Rory gave it to him.
“We started to suspect if the guy was really a lawyer, as nothing was moving.”
Rory claims the woman involved in the phone incident contacted him to say she knows it was a “misunderstanding”.
At a hearing this week, he was released on bail, but his passport has been confiscated.
The 37-year-old has been told his next court appearance isn’t until July 28 after entering a not guilty plea.
He could potentially face a jail sentence of up to five years under Thai law.
He is currently using funds to stay in a hotel, and his family has launched a fundraiser to support him.
His dad, John, added: “Immediately, the police were called, and they just took him away.
“There was no attempt to try to resolve the situation.
“For the first two nights, it wasn’t great conditions to be living in, sleeping on a concrete floor with water bottles for pillows.”
Helen said it was “inhumane” and said Rory is “very distressed” as they have been keeping in touch with him on FaceTime.
The Foreign Office says it is in contact with local authorities and is supporting a British man in Thailand.
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