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Steve Willcox [UK]
ABOUT STEVE WILLCOX

Steve Willcox, originally from Leicester UK, had been living and working in the Real Estate Industry in the South of Thailand, Koh Samui. His Thai wife was expecting their first child.

On April 21, 2003, the Thai police raided his house and found a quantity of drugs (Marijuana, ecstasy, amphetamines and 24 grams of heroin). Steve was sent to prison to await his sentence by the Thai Court.

On October 8, 2003 Steve's son was born. A full year later, on November 1, 2004, Steve was sentenced by the Thai court to life imprisonment. He pleaded guilty and his sentence was subsequently reduced to 33 ½ years.

After four years, in November 2007, Steve Willcox was finally transferred to the United Kingdom under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement between the UK and Thailand. His 33 ½ year sentence was reduced a further 4 years and 2 months in celebration of the Thai King's 80th Birthday. Steve Willcox will be released in 29 years and four months, unless of course he can secure a Pardon from the King of Thailand or if he receives subsequent sentence reductions. [Release date 2036].

Steve's sentence has now been reduced from 29 years 3months to 26 years. Hopefully another amnesty this year December 5th will see his sentence reduced even further.

EXTRACT FROM WHEN STEVE LEARNED HE WAS GOING HOME
"Despite all the British Embassy hype about transfer date being top secret, one of the guards here at Bangkwang calls me to the office and promptly announces to me, as I walk through the door, "You go home".

What did you say? I asked him in Thai language as I sat at his desk where he proudly shows me the paperwork of my transfer and all its details. I can't believe my eyes - November 6th - I will be transferred to HMP Wandsworth, London, England.

'Your flight leaves at 12.20 midnight' says the guard.

Numbness and disbelief, shit! My time has finally come. It felt good. A wave of such relief and happiness swept over me. Then I realized 20 past midnight was November 7th …my wife's birthday! Shit! I have only weeks to arrange so much. Desperately I need to arrange a contact visit with my wife and Oak before I leave. Fridays being the only days they do contact visits and I've already had my allocated 2 contact visits per year. This isn't gonna be easy getting permission for this!

Ringing my mum and dad that week and telling them an exact date I am coming home! (Well to prison in England) was the best news and feeling, so so long I've waited to be able to give them good news. Of course my mum and dad were delighted. I got so choked up I could hardly speak (a wave of emotions took over me) over 4 ½ years waiting for this moment and I could hardly speak for the tremendous emotions and relief I was feeling. It was if the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. More than anything I felt so good for my parents and my family's sake. Part of their nightmare was soon to be over. The worst part of all this for them is the permanent worry they have to live with knowing I am living in a Thailand prison.

The infamous Bangkwang Prison better known as "The Bangkok Hilton" is known through out the world for all the shocking and horrific conditions we have to endure here. This reputation has haunted my family and loved ones for years. Many of them cannot bring themselves to even look at my web-site, as I've clearly designed it to shock people into hopefully bringing about the change to us prisoners imprisoned here. I don't do this lightly as I am fully aware of by portraying the appalling conditions here I also make this whole ordeal worse on my family. But if we are to bring about change for the better and understanding the system here as I do, I firmly believe this is the only way to bring about that change by showing and telling the truth from behind these walls.

Without wanting to sound pessimistic of this great news of my transfer, I wont believe it until I am sitting on the aeroplane high in the sky over Thailand, for this is Thailand and any kind of hiccup is possible. My years here and experience has taught me to always expect the un-expected and always prepare for the worst case scenario.

I feel very anxious, and I don't feel good about all the friends I will be leaving behind here. It might sound crazy but now my time is almost here, in many ways I don't want to go. I never thought I would say that and even crazier is I will miss this place. I feel more like I am leaving home than I am going home!

More important than ever now is getting my wife visa appeal. Let's hope there's good news on that before I transfer? All that is on my mind now is the settlement visa.

To all you people out there who've supported me in various ways I thank you all kindly. It's you who got me to where I am now. My newsletters will continue and the next one will hopefully be written by me from an English Prison. More important than anything, I hope to be writing you that my children are now also settled in England.

Sincere thanks to you all.

Steve Willcox

EXTRACT FROM STEVE'S LETTER TO FPSS - 16 December 2007…
"I spent a little over a month in the Wandsworth Prison, London and now incredibly, I've landed on my feet and been transferred to a prison close to family and friends. It's very close to my parent's home in Leicester. I have my own toilet and wash basin. I had forgot what they were, hot and cold water on tap. Wow! I feel human again. Sleeping in a real bed and my first hot shower in over 4 ½ years… was shear heaven!

Friday 14th December 2007, I had my first visit since being back. Mum, Dad and Sister… it was incredible. Very happy and emotional as you would expect….hugs and kisses all round… There's more good news… on December 5, 2007, it was the King of Thailand's 80th Birthday and there was an amnesty 1/8th for all drug offenders. I was given 4 years and 2 months off my 33 ½ year sentence, hardly a big dent in it, but better than nothing!

Nine days after being back in England, we got bad news. My wife had her settlement visa appeal rejected! On January 29, 2008 we have one more chance at the Appeal Tribunal court in Nottingham England. . This is after the amnesty last year in May. It took one year for me to get the paper work and my sentence adjusted from 29 years 3months to 26 years. Hopefully another amnesty this year December 5th. My wife is devastated as we all are. I can't believe they refused her a second time. My wife and I have been legally married for over four years now! Don't worry... one way or another we will get my children here... Again…thank you to everyone again for all the support… [Kay, Tony Fox and Martin Hodgson] …. Merry Christmas, good health and Happiness for the New year!

Steve Willcox.

WRITE TO STEVE
Steve still very much needs support and encouragement to endure the long sentence ahead of him…. He hopes people will continue to write to him at this address'

Steve Willcox, WA9151, Farley
H.M.P. Rye Hill
Willoughby, Nr Rugby, Warwickshire
England CV23 8SZ

Phone +44 (0)1788 523300
Fax +44 (0)1788 523311

To book a visit +44 (0)1788 523303
Prison Website: https://www.hmpryehill.co.uk/

HMP Rye Hill is situated in the village of Willoughby, near Rugby, in Warwickshire. This is a training prison holding 660 adult male Category B sentenced prisoners which includes 150 vulnerable prisoners. These people are housed in a purpose designed Vulnerable Prisoner Unit, with its own regime and facilities.

The sentence requirement for HMP Rye Hill is more than 4 years with 18 months left to serve.
VISIT STEVE'S WEBSITE
This website is maintained by a friend of Steve's and there is also a forum for latest updates.

https://www.steveatbangkwang.bravehost.com

FREEDOM IS A RIGHT OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS IN A WORLD WHERE LIFE IS VALUED AND PEACE MAY FINALLY BE A POSSIBILITY
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