Michael’s 100-day Hungarian jail ordeal (From Thisisdorset)

Michael’s 100-day Hungarian jail ordeal

5:00pm Monday 8th February 2010 in

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BUSINESSMAN Michael Turner has now been languishing in a tough Hungarian prison for 100 days without charge.

And his nightmare ordeal looks set to continue for months before he’ll get the chance to face his accusers across a courtroom.

And in a disturbing development, Michael has lodged a complaint about the behaviour of prison guards, which his dad Mark has likened to torture. This follows an incident when Michael was forced to strip naked and crouch in a prison gangway while officers ransacked his cell.

Michael, 27, and former business partner Jason McGoldrick, 37, deny any wrongdoing after the failure of their Budapest business six years ago – a failure that left them owing £18,000 to creditors.

But the Hungarian authorities, who extradited them using a controversial European extradition procedure and then threw them into a tough former KGB prison, think otherwise.

It looks likely the men will remain imprisoned, four to a cell, until the police investigation wraps up this spring. Only then will the pair discover if they will stand trial or be released.

Mark, who runs Corfe Castle’s Castle Inn pub, recently visited Michael in Hungary.

“Sadly, I could see straight away a physical deterioration,” he said. “Michael has lost weight yet again, his clothes were hanging off him. It’s fair to say that, mentally, this is taking a toll on him now.”

Mark added: “The prison regime is one where diet is supplemented by food parcels from the outside.

“We sent him stuff like nuts and dried fruit, but the guards just confiscate it and search it in front of him with a dirty knife.

“Everything is cut open and left totally inedible – this is torture in a way.”

• The pub is holding a fundraiser for Michael and Jason on Thursday at 7pm. All supporters are invited to attend. There will be live music and Mark is appealing for items to be donated for an auction.