The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A court case which would see a Spalding human rights defender sent to prison in Thailand for seven years has been delayed.
Andy Hall was due to attend court on Monday to enter a plea to criminal defamation and computer crimes relating to a report he wrote about abuses of migrant workers by a Thai fruit juice company.
But a problem with Mr Hall’s address meant a summons to appear in court had not been properly delivered and the case was adjourned until January 18 next year.
A new summons will now be issued and Mr Hall is expected to attend Bangkok Criminal Court to enter a plea to the charges he faces.
Following the hearing he could be detained in custody pending the court’s consideration of any bail request he should chose to make.
Organisations supporting Mr Hall, including Finnwatch for which he wrote the report on Natural Fruit Company, have deposited a “significant” amount of money as a bail surety to ensure his release on bail pending a full criminal trial expected to take place during 2016.
Speaking from her Spalding home this week, Andy’s sister Jo Clay said Andy was coping well with the stresses of the court case and working hard on other cases.
She said: “I think we worry more about it than he does.”
The charges Andy faces are one of four cases brought by Natural Fruit Company since February 2013.
Bangkok South Criminal Court decided the case should proceed to a full criminal trial after almost a year and seven pre-trial prosecution witness hearings.
