Life on the run

[Tedx]

Moderator Message:
Moved from DAK to The Snug (chas49)

I have some questions regarding this chap:

An 80-year-old man who has been on the run for almost three decades has been arrested after returning to the UK from Thailand, police have said.

Richard Burrows had failed to attend the start of his trial over alleged child sex offences at Chester Crown Court in 1997.

Cheshire Police said Mr Burrows was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Thursday.

I'm curious how this guy managed to pay his way for so long. I don't think you can work in Thailand (and I think the authorities are quite ruthless on this). And if you're on a tourist visa, you have to renew it every three months. maybe he married a Thai girl and his out with her.

.....maybe he had private pension income from age 55 and perhaps used savings before that? State Pension payable? Can the authorities trace income being paid abroad - or even to a UK account then abroad)?

...or e could have spent the last 28 years in a Thai jail for crimes in Thailand? Surely the Thai authorities would want to know who he is?

Hmmm. Maybe that is the answer. He's been in jail and the 'planned flight to the UK' was actually a deportation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-m ... r-68711891

[Lootman]

I'm curious how this guy managed to pay his way for so long. I don't think you can work in Thailand (and I think the authorities are quite ruthless on this). And if you're on a tourist visa, you have to renew it every three months. maybe he married a Thai girl and his out with her.

.....maybe he had private pension income from age 55 and perhaps used savings before that? State Pension payable? Can the authorities trace income being paid abroad - or even to a UK account then abroad)?

I have not been to Thailand in 30 years but back then it was dirt cheap to live there. So assuming that he had some cash saved in the UK then that would probably have gone a long way there.

And no doubt Thailand was chosen over other Asian nations because of its reputation for being liberal about the kind of naughty things that he evidently liked to indulge in.

It would be key to stay off the grid and under the radar both there and here, which does suggest that he might have had some contacts/friends in place there. And there are a lot of westerners there so he would not stick out in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phuket, at least.

Maybe after all this time he thought it was safe to visit the UK again. Oops.

[didds]

Or he is running into latter life health issues and realised he will get medical care in jail in the UK that he couldn't afford in Thailand.

Biggs alleged motivation for a UK return and arrest was similar - a claim was also made its because he wanted to go to a pub once again before he died but the reality of that was virtually zero given he still had twenty years to serve!

[UncleEbenezer]

I imagine there must be a market for not-entirely-legal paid work in Thailand, just like (more-or-less) anywhere else. Maybe it's possible that an old geezer might pass under-the-radar where young folks - classic backpackers - would be more watched for that kind of thing?

[kempiejon]

A guy I used to know was able to run off to live in the south of France and then to Spain and last heard of on Ibiza. He used fake ID acquired in the UK. Our mutual friend from whom I got updates lost touch a few years back but he'd been in contact from the late 80s until about 10 years ago. I don't know about Thailand.

[doolally]

I wonder how he was able to get a passport in order to fly back to the UK
doolally

[Tedx]

I wonder how he was able to get a passport in order to fly back to the UK
doolally

Good point. Maybe he was deported.

[Lootman]

I wonder how he was able to get a passport in order to fly back to the UK

"for fake passports, prices range from $1500 to $6500."

https://10guards.com/it/articles/darkne ... %20%246500.

Official passports are available from $10,000 in some of the more dubious nations around the world and, in some cases, in any name you choose.

[Dicky99]

I wonder how he was able to get a passport in order to fly back to the UK
doolally

If his aim was to return to the UK, knowing he'd face justice, it would be sufficient to make himself known to the Thai authorities.

[kempiejon]

I would suggest it looks like a negotiated return.

Duncan Burrage, a National Crime Agency international liaison officer in Thailand, said the arrest “demonstrates law enforcement’s unwavering commitment to hunt down those who await justice in the UK”.

“Utilising our international network and working closely with Cheshire police colleagues, we have been able to track down a fugitive wanted in connection to extremely serious allegations,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ire-police

[Spet0789]

I would suggest it looks like a negotiated return.

Duncan Burrage, a National Crime Agency international liaison officer in Thailand, said the arrest “demonstrates law enforcement’s unwavering commitment to hunt down those who await justice in the UK”.

“Utilising our international network and working closely with Cheshire police colleagues, we have been able to track down a fugitive wanted in connection to extremely serious allegations,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ire-police

Pretty sure the nail was hit up-thread. This ageing alleged nonce fancied some treatment on the NHS.

[Lootman]

I would suggest it looks like a negotiated return.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ire-police

Pretty sure the nail was hit up-thread. This ageing alleged nonce fancied some treatment on the NHS.

He may also have been banking on the courts not throwing a 80 year old in poor health into prison. Old prisoners are disproportionately expensive to keep in prison due to the extra care and services they need, poor vision and hearing, incontinence and so on.

[chas49]

Moderator Message:
Moved from DAK to The Snug as this isn't really a question with a factual answer (or at least not likely to be known by any of us)(chas49)