East Lothian man locked up in Greek jail over £10 weed grinder loses bail appeal

Mr Howard was on the most wanted list without knowing it

A young Tranent man at the centre of a ‘banged up abroad ordeal’ faces an agonising 20 day wait to find out his fate.

The Edinburgh Evening News told how Conor Howard, 27, is at the centre of a bizarre jail nightmare after it emerged he was placed on an international most wanted list without knowing it - for being found with a £10 piece of drugs paraphernalia in his luggage nearly a year ago.

Now at a bail hearing in Corfu, Greece, the proposals, which included the option of a hefty fine and a return to Scotland as well as the option of serving a sentence in a Greek jail, were rejected by the judge.

Mr Howard in Australia before his nightmare ordeal

Mr Howard’s parents, Robert and Adele Young, both said that “it looked likely” that he would now serve time in prison following the judges decision.

But the family is vowing to fight for justice and has acquired the services of Radha Stirling, who founded ‘Detained’, a civil and criminal justice organisation.

In a joint statement Mr and Mrs Young said: “Conor has been detained in prison for another 20 days before they hsve another hearing and we would like to urge everyone back home to continue to raise Conor’s case with the relevant parties.”

Mr Howard was detained by authorities in Qatar last October during a stopover on a flight between Australia and the UK after they found a small plastic cannabis grinder he had intended to bring home as an amusing present for a pal following a year-long trip working Down Under.

The project manager spent six hours in cells before returning home and thought no more of his brush with Middle Eastern justice.

But he was arrested in Corfu, hundreds of miles from Qatar, after attempting to join his parents on holiday in the Mediterranean after Greek immigration authorities realised there was an international arrest

warrant in his name issued by Qatar.

Ms Stirling, of pressure group Detained in Dubai, said: “It’s a traumatising time for Conor. It’s haunting.

“This affects his reputation due to the publicity and the conviction - a drugs conviction with a year sentence.

“We are trying to get diplomatic pressure on this because the Qataris had him and told him he could leave.”

She said: “It’s very tough on his parents. They are very sad and shocked, they had their hopes up and did everything they could to get him out, at least on bail.

“They know nothing about Interpol - that’s for terrorists and violent criminals. Conor is neither of those categories, It’s a petty misunderstanding.”

East Lothian MP Kenny Macaskill added: “It’s a disgraceful abuse of process by the Qataris. It’s harsh and oppressive and he should be at least at liberty while the Qataris withdraw the warrant.“I have contacted Foreign and Commonwealth ministers seeking the UK pressurise the Qataris to do so.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to the Edinburgh Evening News online and enjoy unlimited access to trusted, fact-checked news and sport from Edinburgh and the Lothians. Visit https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director