Bail Release Fiasco

24th May 2011 

 Arranging bail was a complete farce, such bungling inefficiency I shall expect as the norm from now on. It took my partner about 6 hours and two attempts to surrender Richard's passport at a Police Station near home. No one knew how to do it or what then to do with the passport so God only knows where that might be now. I remained in London and went with my sister to collect £3k in cash from the bank to surrender to a local police station as instructed. At the Police Station once more they didn't know what to do with the money but the girl on the desk was extremely helpful and rang through to Wandsworth Prison to confirm they had the Passport surrender confirmed and now the money. It was going to take them a few hours to "process" Richard for release!!
My sister and I went for lunch rather than go hang around at the Prison. Shortly I received a phone call from someone at the prison " can you go back to the Police Station and collect the money they don't want it!!! So off we went, the woman in the bank thought we were nuts. Back at the Police Station the helpful lady rang Wandsworth again to ensure things were moving on. She was told Richard would be free in 30minutes. As soon as she put the 'phone down I had a call from Richard saying he was outside the prison ready for picking up. Dear Oh Dear!


Richard survived the night in prison he was put in the "extradition section" which was full of friendly eastern europeans who told him he shouldn't be there. He shared a cell with a weed smoking companion who had the TV on all night. His only comment was that the food was bad. Off home at last what an ordeal.