Greek Lawyers – Be Careful Who you Choose

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Are Greek lawyers competent? My Experience.......

Foreword.  According to official figures, there are about 47,000 qualified lawyers in Greece making it one of the few professions which has actually grown in number (and wealth and influence)  from the year 2000.  The number has increased dramatically from about 20,000 in the year 2000, and women now make up a staggering 57% of the total. The fact is that lawyers are a vital part of the Greek economy, their “business” assisted by the introduction of new laws where prosecutions are mandatory  –  for example, those concerning domestic violence and residency (as in my case)

My Lawyer August to-November 2025. My Heraklion based Lawyer (not named for legal reasons) was found by my good friend Heather Woodward, shortly after I had been imprisoned. His name and firm also appeared on the list of Lawyers provided by the UK Consulate. He agreed at the outset to accept a fee of 3000 euros for representimg me in contesting the three convictions that I had apparently accumulated  – two for domestic violence and the other for keeping a shotgun at my property. It could be  established that I had never received notice of either the court appearances or the subsequent details of the sentencing, imposed in my absence. 1000 euros cash was paid to him by Heather as an initial advance with no receipt given, the balance of 2000 euros to be paid at the end of  the re-trials expected. These were the agreed fees and the basis of my agreement with him. He had a colleague from another Practice in Chania where the Court cases would be heard, and this agreed fee secured the services of both lawyers.

First Impressions – PreTrial  There were two or three meetings between this lawyer and myself at the Alikarnassos prison in Heraklion. The first meeting coincided with a visit from a Greek lady named Aristea, the vice consul for the UK Embassy in Heraklion. She knew the lawyer and stayed on to hear our conversation – which for me was a good thing, because it meant that she was more aware of my own situation. The Lawyer informed me that he had been at work already, and hearings or “appeals” were set for in the coming month in Chania, and there was a good chance of succeeding in forcing a re-trial for all convictions. So far, so good!

Second Impressions – PreTrial: False Witnesses I don’t know if the presence of the UK Consulate’s vice consul affected his first meeting with me, but his performance at subsequent meetings at the prison before my trial in Chania due 24th September 2025 were worrying. He was arrogant and not particularly interested in any information that I had to add background to my case. He appeared to have already made up his mind what his tactic would be,  and he pressured me to name witnesses to support my case. I told him that since I had effectively integrated for many years (2014 to 2022)  into the Greek “society” of Kefalas – my home at the time of the alleged “domestic violence” – the only witnesses were Greek and unlikely to want to testify. He persisted with this, and even went so far as to openly suggest that I could pay a witness to produce false testimony – something I found difficult to believe from a Grrek Lawyer. He did however manage to persuade one of the three Greek witnesses to later appear on my behalf. There were no briefings as such, and I had no clear idea what the tactics for the upcoming trial would be.

Trial 24th September 2025 – Advised to Lie under Oath: I was transported under handcuffs in a police car from Heraklion to Chania’s Agia Prison in the week before the trial date. During that week in the Chania prison, I had no visits or information from this lawyer. I arrived at the courthouse in handcuffs at about 9 a.m., and managed to have a very brief converstaion with the lawyer, during which he told me that I should give a different version of events for the first charge and to deny the truth of the second charge – this accused me of throwing dog “poo” at my wife.  This was in fact true. I had done so out of huge frustration, not with any intent to harm, but to shame her, for refusing to help look after her three dogs. On the stand, I ignored his advice for the first charge, and gave the true version of events – I was found innocent. For the “poo” charge, I followed his advice, and denied it – I was found guilty of this, and sentenced to six months, with parole. I am pretty sure that if I had told the truth and not followed his specific advice to lie under oath, I would have been found innocent. I believe there was video footage from my wife’s camera which supported her claim, and this allowed the prosecutor present  (female) to cast doubt on my credibiity as a witness.

Immediate Post-Trial : After the verdict, there was a certain amount of personal relief that I could now return home, but dismay at the conviction charge – which would not stand up in any other Court of Law. Although very disappointed, I reasoned that I could now plan to defend myself properly at the second and final re-trial due on 21st October 2025.

26th September – Residency Issue: I had been returned to Heraklion prison the day before, and was fully expecting to be released, until my re-arrest and subsequent detention at the Heraklion Police Department on the morning of the 26th Spetember. I have covered this entire painful experience in another Post: I called my Lawyer from the immigration offices at the time of my “interview” and asked the immigration officer present to explain to my lawyer what had happened and the reasons for and terms of my detention. Since immediate deportation was being ordered, I told both the Lawyer and the Immigration Officer present that I did not wish to be deported, firstly because of the inevitable destruction and financial loss this would cause to my private life in Crete, and secondly my desire to appear at the important re-trial due in Chania on 21st October.

Post 26th September – Police Detention Centre Heraklion: Bullying At the next meeting – from memory this occurred a day later – it was clear to me that my Lawyer was now only concerned with getting his full fee – even though the Residency problem was a complete surprise to us both, and final payment would not be due until the conclusion of the re-trial set for 21st October 2025. I asked him if he thought I should be detained – he said “No”: since he did not appear to know anything about Greek Residency issues, I asked him if I should appoint another Lawyer with Immigration and Greek Residency expertise – he said “Yes” . Under enormous pressure and bullying from my Lawyer, I was asked to contact friends to pay for his fees, and I know he made several calls (unauthorised by me) to at least 3 friends asking them directly to pay fees to him. I explained that I had money in the UK, but without access to my laptop and the internet, it would be difficult to arrange the further interim payment which he was now insisting upon. I said I would do my best to retrieve the laptop so that an interim payment could be made directly to his bank account, at the police station and in his presence, using the local wi-fi available. I was fortunate that good friends Heather and David Woodward drove to Heraklion to bring the laptop. Unfortunately it needed another keyboard to operate correctly since it had been stored somewhere unsuitable – I asked the lawyer to provide another basic PC keyboard with a USB connection (cost about 10 euros and available anywhere) but he refused to do so: I found this surprising.

Re-trial 21st October 2025 – Chania Court: Negligence Despite the personal doubts I now had about my Lawyer, I was expecting to attend this re-trial on 21st October. Even though I had not been contacted by him for some weeks, I expected to be summoned at any moment and driven to Chania for the Court appearance, but there was no summons. On the 21st October, late morning, my lawyer appeared at the prison in a state of high agitation demanding that I produce the immigration documents justifying my detention – something I thought he should have had in his possession. I soon understood that the other lawyer in Chania needed this proof for the Court to grant an immediate extension. It was clear to me that either the Heraklion Police department had refused permisssion, or, despite having three weeks to prepare, my Lawyer had done nothing to enable me to attend the Court, which could have resulted in the expunging of the charges, and potentially led the way to my immediate release. it is still not entirely clear why I did not attend the re-trial.

My Bank Debit Card – Illegal possession of personal property and Extortion: I needed money to survive in the detention Centre, and because I still had my Bank Card (for ATMs etc), I entrusted the Lawyer with my PIN code and authorised him to draw 100 euros for my own use – there was about 220  euros in the account at the time. As the rleationship deteriorated – after the 21st October – and my calls were not being returned, there was no news and were no visits from this lawyer. I had requested several times that he return the Debit Card, and even persuaded the police on duty to call him and request that the card was returned, which he agreed to do. The card was not returned: I was then informed by my friend Jonathan Buburalakis who visited me to bring some urgent supplies and money that he had been told by this lawyer that the card would not be returned unless he was paid money that he believed to be owing. In addition, the lawyer involved was making personal threats to sue me, and using his position to prevent me from appointing another Lawyer to provide much needed clarity on the residency issue, and the options available to me. A few days after this, and without my knowledge, Jonathan made a payment of 800 euros cash to this Lawyer. However, the card was still not returned, and in desperation, I contacted the head of the Police at the station, and told him that I would be suing this Lawyer for illegal possession of the Card and extortion. The next day, I received the first visit in weeks from the Lawyer in question.

Final Meeting – and “You’re Fired”: The day  after my visit to the Head of Police, and some time in November, the Lawyer turned up for a meeting. I was glad to have a police officer present as a witness who spoke and understood English . I had 3 questions for the Lawyer: (1) Where was my ATM card (2) Why was he not answering my phonecalls and (3) Why did I not attend the Court on 21st October?
(1) He returned the card, with a printed balance – he had taken 200 euros and not the 100 euros I had authorised.
(2) He did not respond to the question about phonecalls
(3) He gave two different answers – firstly he tried to suggest that it was up to me to make the appeal to attend the re-trial and, when pressed, said that the Police Department may have refused permisssion. I pointed out that one of the parties was lying – the Police department said that they had had no such request. 

I then told him that I had dispensed with his services, he was no longer my lawyer, and the meeting was terminated.

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Prisons in Crete and the Heraklion Detention Centre

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What you should know about Prisons in Crete

Foreword: I had never in my 76 years of life on this planet been to prison, or been even close to being sentenced for any wrong doing or misdemeanour. I did have one rather shameful drunk driving episode in the UK when I was in my 30s – so 40 years previously.

But the Greek legal system changed all that, and I spent four months of my life between August and December 2025 being incarcerated in three facilities on the island of Crete. This post is not about the “whys” and “wherefores”, which are covered by other posts in this blog, but specifically about my experiences and recollections of the two prisons and particularly the detention centre I was confined in.

There is a huge  difference between the facilities and living conditions  in the two prisons mentioned below – both of  which I assume meet international standards – and the Holding Cells in the basement of the Heraklion central police station  (supposedly a temporary Holding Facility for felonies and misdemeanours, but used as a Detention Centre) which in my opinion do not meet those international standards. 

The Prisons are run exclusively by Prison Guards – Filaka – whereas the Detention Centre was run by the Heraklion Police Department.

I am pretty sure that this particular job at the Heraklion Police Department – playing nursemaid to an unruly group of young men who speak little or no Greek and are from third world countries , mainly Africa and the Middle East – is highly unpopular with police officers, as can be seen from my comments below.

  •  Alikarnassos Prison – Heraklion (5 weeks).This prison houses about 300 inmates,from all walks of life – drug dealers, murderers, “political” prisoners and more. When you first arrive, you are strip searched, and all your possessions checked by the guards. Mobile phones, credit cards and anything that could be used as a weapon are removed. Any money is counted, and logged in your account in the admin office. You are asked if you want to convert some of the cash into “markers” – which are used as common currency inside the prison (coloured  discs). You then collect whatever posessions you are left with and told your cell number. Next, you are released from the admin centre into the main prison area, where you need to locate your  cell and move in – there is no escort, and you are expected to work it out for yourself, which can be difficult if your knowledge of Greek is limited. Once outside the admin or office area, there are guardposts with controlled points of entry into the various parts of the prison, which include the main cellblocks, library, medical centre and kitchen areas. In the cells, beds are metal and stacked “army barracks” style. A cell will consist of up to three people, and has a private toilet/shower and basic facilities. TV is available at a cost. Cells are opened at about 8 a.m. and locked from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and after 8 p.m. for the night.  Guards will count the number of prisoners in each cell on a regular basis and before opening the cells at the prescribed times – the “peep-hole” in every cell door needs to be kept unobstructed. A tannoy system is employed to communicate with prisoners: being close to the main airport, there is a huge amount of noise from aircraft, which can make talking on the various payphones and hearing tannoy announcements pretty challenging. Meals are provided at lunchtimes and late afternoon/early evening, and have to be collected from the kitchen area on the ground floors. There are hotplates available in the common areas outside the cells for private cooking, as well as fridges (at a cost). It is up to the cell occupants to ensure that bedbugs are controlled or eliminated and to keep cells tidy and clean:  rubbish bags are provided outside the cells and are located in the washroom area which provides toilets and showers (with hot water). Forms have to be completed and left in special “post” boxes to order things like tobacco (Mondays) and other items (Wednesdays) payment for which is taken from your “account” held in the central office. These can then be collected from the local “store” run by one of the prisoners. Prisoners can apply for work – such as assisting in the kitchen, or general cleaning duties and rubbish clearance – which counts toward a reduction in time served. There is a large outside courtyard for exercise purposes, and growing plants, vegetables etc. together with a work-out area and basket ball court. The local barter “currency” is, as for most prisons, tobacco, sugar and (when I was there) ice. The most common topic of conversation between prisoners is food. Everything could be provided at a price – including mobile phones (with internet access) and drugs. Some prisoners had a certain “status” and had extra privileges.
  • Agia Farm Prison Chania (one week). Located to the south of Chania not far from the main hospital, this prison operated in a similar way to Alikarnassos – the main difference being that it was split into various categories of prisoner, so one block would be for Albanians, another for Greeks etc. From memory I was put into the Alpha block, which mainly housed Greeks.  My block had about 7 cells, each having up to four occupants, with facilities and conditions similar to Alikarnassos. Directly outside the cells, there was a common area with seating, and in an adjacent room, a workout area with table tennis table and a canteen where one could buy drinks and basic food items. There was also an enclosed outdoor courtyard with basketball “hoops”, which was used for football games – benches were available for seating. The same style of Tannoy system was in use, but was pretty inaudible. As I was in this prison for only one week, I did not have the opportunity to get to know the routine as well as I did for Alikarnassos, Heraklion.
  • Central Heraklion Police Department – Detention Centre. (11 weeks) As described in a previous post, this “facility”, located in the basement of the main police building, was designed as a Holding facility for those awaiting trial for various  criminal offences – in my time there, the criminal offences logged were mainly Domestic Violence and Drug Offences of one type or another. This category of detainee spends no more than a few days in the facility, either awaiting trial or – if convicted – awaiting transportation to a proper prison. However, the Greek Immigration authorities – based in the same building – use this place as a long term detention centre for “would be” immigrants who do not have valid residency or work permits. In these cases, the detention period is not a few days – it can be six months or more.
  • On entering the detention area, the police office is on the left: there are normally 2 or 3 police offices on duty, with two or three daily shifts. From here they control the automatic locks of the main entry gates and the individual locks of every cell door. They have monitors showing security camera footage in the corridors adjoining the main cellblock.
  • Attached to the police office is a store-room where the personal possessions of the detainees are stored. They also keep and control various medication for prisoners and pharmaceutical items. No pills are allowed in the cells.
  • Directly opposite the police office are two additional secure “rooms” which each house two cells independently from the main block. These are used for special cases – such as women prisoners, or underage detainees.
  • The locked main gate leading to  the corridor in use in the main block is a few metres from the police office, and from this gate, the police shout out instructions and messages to the inmates. In the same way, inmates try to communicate with police for  information, medication or reporting a personal problem or trying to get their cell door unlocked for toilet access – mainly without success. I gave up trying to obtain my prison  prescribed medication for high blood pressure after a few days.
  • There  are seven cells A1, A2 etc up to A7. A1 has 10 bed spaces, the other six having 7 beds each. I was in this main block, and spent time in A1 and A5. Two corridors run either side of these cells, but only the one corridor which has access to the communal  latrines (3 working) and showers (4) and the main gate can be accessed from each cell.
  • Each cell has a door with bars which can be locked or open depending on the time of day and the whim of the police on duty. Cleaning occurs twice daily and meals are also delivered twice daily except for Sundays, requiring that the cells are locked at these times.
  • Vending Machine –  Between the main gate and the Police office was a vending machine operated by one of the “inmates” – this was a job highly prized, as the operator assisted the police in other duties and had certain privileges awarded – such as use of a mobile phone. On sale were hot drinks, tobacco and some basic food items, and money exchanged hands through the bars of the main gate. This worked well for those who had money, but also caused resentment for those not so fortunate. 
  • Free Meals – lunchtime and early evening – were delivered from outside in containers and were generally adequate, although there were cases of unfair distribution. I always had in mind the image of animals at the zoo being fed through the bars of their cages – very similar. The best meal of rhe week was delivered on Sundays courtesy of the Church (Greek Orthodox? – I never found out) which consisted of a portion of chicken on a bed of macaroni, with fresh bread. On this same day, we each received the princely sum of 5.80 euros which we could use to order in an evening meal from outside.
  • Each cell possesses a number of concrete beds, with one mattress and blanket supplied, and about 1 metre apart. Iron bars prevent further access to either corridor. Inside the cells, there is no lighting or any power points – just bare walls. Possessions are kept in plastic bags beside the bed, and anything valuable (money, phonecards, tobacco etc.) are at all times kept on your person.
  • Outside the cells, in the connecting corridor, there are no seating areas anywhere, no TV, no access to any “news” and the only communications allowed are outgoing phonecalls on Payphones (only one of which was working in my time there)
  • There are no views, no windows, and no access to the outside for exercise or fresh air.
  • The communal toilets are very basic and often not clean: the shower facilities are not private and there is no hot water.
  • At night, powerful lights – from the corridor not in use – light up the cells and make sleep very difficult.
  • Shouting matches between angry police officers and inmates were frequent, leading to the indiscriminate locking of cells, and in some cases, physical violence.
  • There were many cases of bullying and fighting between inmates – usually because of a theft of some item such as a phonecard or tobacco – but there was usually no intervention by the police on duty.
  • There was constant noise, and shouting up until 2 a.m. every day, and when it was quieter, normal conversations could be heard anywhere, making life very stressful.
  • Sleep was often disturbed by unwanted night-time visits or a new arrival to the cells – for example, drunks on a Saturday night. Even worse than sleep deprivation were the bedbugs – blood sucking little insects that emitted a bad smell when squashed. Every cell was infected with them, and together with attacks from silent mosquitoes, every inmate spent hours scratching at the bites. No medication was allowed, and no effective measures taken to fumigate the cells.

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Imprisoned in Greece

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Fellow Inmates, Special People

Introduction. Between 13th August 2025 and 12th December 2025, four months out of my life, I was incarcerated by the Greek state in three separate facilities: Alikarnassos Prison in Heraklion (5 weeks),  Agia Farm Prison Chania (one week awaiting trial) and the Central Heraklion Police Department, which houses a Detention Centre in the basement of the building (11 weeks) 

The reasons for my detention are covered by my other blog posts: this blog is dedicated to the special people (fellow inmates) that I met during this period.

It is often said that in times of crisis and despair, in this case captivity, that true human nature emerges, where inmates are forced to live together in a closed environment. I was very fortunate and privileged to meet and to be able to help a number of fellow “prisoners”, who have since become friends and colleagues.

Background. In the prison environment, where facilities and individual  treatment are governed by international law, and a prisoner is allocated a cell with two or three others, life was much easier than the inhumane and unacceptable conditions applying to those seeking residency status in the Detention Centre in the basement of the Heraklion Police Department. The Greek authorities use the Heraklion Police Centre Building “Holding Cells” – which are meant to be a temporary detention facility –   for detaining immigration and residency cases (boat people and others looking for a better life in Europe). It was like a United Nations, with travellers from Africa, the Middle East, Nepal, Pakistan and other countries. These detention periods are not temporary periods – they can last for six months and more, and in my opinion far exceed the periods acceptable under International Law and Human Rights guidelines.

My Views on Immigration  Greece is used as a gateway to Europe by many from third world countries (for asylum or economic reasons). Previously, I had been anti-immigration, but having met many of these brave and dedicated young men who risk a great deal in making dangerous journeys at great cost, I have changed my mind. I admire their courage, work ethic and optimism, and would be proud to be associated with them outside of captivity. Any society should be happy to integrate with people of such resolve and personal values. 

My Views On the Greek Law relating to “Domestic Violence” One of the most ridiculous laws to make the Greek statute books. We all appreciate that women were in the past disadvantaged, but for some years now, any woman in Greece can contact the police to report domestic “abuse” and the man accused – rightly or wrongly – is immediately arrested and charged on unsubstantiated and “hearsay” evidence. No proof is required. There must have been at least 20 people charged with this “offence” in the time that I was detained at the Heraklion Police Centre – more than those awaiting trial for drug offences (which was the second largest category of crime).  I discussed  this with Greeks and others who had suffered this injustice, and we came to the conclusion that Greece is effectively destroying its own social structure. 

Special People I have listed all the people that were important to me in the order that I met them. English was our language of communication – mainly because  the alternatives were Greek (basic knowledge) and Arabic (no knowledge). In the Detention Centre, i was by far the oldest person, and in some cases I was able to help financially and offer advice to those younger than myself. I have included the surname where possible…

  1. Theodorakis Kakouris – Alikarnassos  Shared the same cell with me – No. 65  (along with a Pakistani called Iqbal who was serving a life sentence and was the prison electrician). From Athens, married and in his early 50s. Theo spoke excellent English and had travelled a good deal, with many interesting experiences. We spent many hours discussing a wide variety of issues, including esoteric matters, the Masons and Formula 1 (Ferrari of course…). I do not know whether he has been released yet, but I hope he keeps in touch.
  2. David  Sieme – Alikarnassos There were only two people from the UK in this prison, and he was the other one. In his sixties, and like me, he had come to Crete to retire. He had a home in the South of Crete – and a dog – and he was still paying rent. His cell was next to mine, M3, and he had been in the prison for six months when I left. Badly beaten up by police officers when he was arrested, he nearly died on the operating table in Heraklion General Hospital – the subject of an appalling miscarriage of  Greek justice which I will be reporting on in another blog. He is almost certainly still there…
  3. Yusuf the Turk – Alikarnassos. Yusuf spoke some English, and was serving a long sentence which I understood to be politically motivated. A former special services operative in Turkey and a bodyguard, he had gone into the marine business near Bodrum, but was arrested in Greek waters for some reason which was not entirely clear to me. An interesting character, about 60 years old.
  4. Chris “X” – Chania. Chris is from Sweden and in his 30s. Very tall with wild piercing eyes, he had been in prison for 16 months without a formal charge. He had come to Crete for a few months of work wiith a local construction company as part of his work experience. Another subject of a gross miscarriage of Greek justice, he had a court case coming up, and we discussed at length how he should proceed with his defence/evidence. I hope he was released – a good person who could not understand why he was ever sent to prison.
  5. Mohammed “X” – Heraklion Detention .  From Cairo, Egypt, and wanted to get to Italy. About 30, tall and a natural comedian, he had the respect of many of the “inmates” and helped to keep order. He spoke very little English, and had no money, but we got on well and I helped him out financially. He was set free before I left, and I hope he made it to Italy.
  6. Dominic Andre Langer – Heraklion Detention .  A truly fascinating individual, Dominic was in his mid 40s, with a father from Switzerland and a mother from Colombia. A modern “hippy”, with previous prison sentences in Spain for reasons that were not entirely divulged, he had decided to come to Crete from Switzerland for a sabbatical on the beach for a few months, but had been arrested after losing his id and passport. His English was ok, and we had long and interesting talks about many esoteric subjects. I helped him financially and discussed his future plans – he was deported to Switzerland before I was released, and I hope he keeps in touch.
  7. George X – Heraklion Detention. George was a Greek truck driver from Heraklion in his 40s and was arrested when a jealous ex-partner made unsubstantiated allegations of domestic violence. He spoke good English, and was terrified of life in prison if he were found guilty, and so I gave him some advice. He was so insecure that he asked if I could move my bed and sleep next to him, which I agreed to do. He was given a short sentence in one of the Athens prisons, having been let down by his lawyer – a common occurrence in Greece. 
  8. Ripesh D. Guru – Heraklion Detention. About 25 years old and from Nepal, Ripesh is a charming individual who speaks excellent English. He told me I reminded him of his grandfather, and I said I would be proud to consider him an honorary grandson. He arranged for me to move to his cell (A5) which made life more comfortable for me. We had hours of interesting conversations, about his reasons for leaving Nepal, his plans for the future and about his homeland. He is now in Barcelona, Spain having been released some weeks before me, and we are in touch!
  9. Sunziv Moktan – Heraklion Detention. About 30 years old and also from Nepal, he and Ripesh were like brothers. An extremely nice and more serious individual, with a sister working nearby, which meant that he could organise his imprisonment a little better by asking her for “supplies”. He was released at the same time as Ripesh, and is now happily in France. We are in touch!
  10. Alhaji Sununu Conteh – Heraklion Detention About 30 years old and married, Alhaji had made the perilous journey from Sierra Leone with his wife – who was kept in a separate holding cell in the same detention centre. I admired his intelligence and calmness, and had several converstaions with him about the possibility of starting a PV solar business in Freetown, Sierra Leone. When he was released some weeks before me, in typical Greek style, his wife was kept in detention for another day – which was totally unnecessary. They went to Athens to find work in Greece, and I hope he remains in touch.
  11. Akon – Heraklion Detention – My apologies to Akon for not having full details of his name. Also from Sierra Leone, he was like a brother to Alhaji, about the same age and they had shared similar experiences. Outwardly more extrovert, he was a charming character with spiky hair. Prior to my arrival, he and Alajhi, Ripesh and Sunziv had invested in a pack of cards, which became a lifesaver for me. I have them to this day, and remember the hours spent playing various games – there was no other “entertainment”. Akon was released at the same time as Alhaji, and I believe also went to the Athens “Camp” to find work.
  12. Mohamed Al-Kurdi – Heraklion Detention Only 20 years old, Mohamed has had an eventful life: originally from Syria, he escaped the war there with his mother and two brothers at age 15, and lived in Turkey with relatives. If that was not enough danger, his town in Turkey was then the epicentre of the mega earthquake of 2023, and he was responsible for his family’s survival and safety after their home had been completely demolished. He speaks English extremely well – he said he learnt from watching movies – and having decided to leave Turkey in search of a better life in Germany, he went on the hazardous boat crossing to the Greek island of Kos, from where he travelled to Athens. Unfortunately for him, his journey ended at Heraklion airport where his “papers” failed inspection. He is highly  intelligent,  and he became my second “honorary grandson”. Apart from wide ranging discussions on Middle Eastern politics, and religion, we talked about life in general, and my experiences were helpful to him.  Unfortunately for Mohamed (or fortunately as it turned out), he developed a very nasty and painful skin infection, which eventually led to his hospitalisation and then early release – some weeks before my release date. I am glad to say that within a few weeks he had managed to get to Germany, and we are now in regular contact.
  13. Ismael – Heraklion Detention In his very early  20s, Ismael is from Guinea and speaks good English. Always cheerful, and positive he was one of my original “cellmates” in cell A1, which became the Africa Cell. He and I were two of the longest serving “detainees” and he was still there when I left on 12th December – but I hope he now has his freedom.
  14. O’Shoum – Heraklion Detention – Shoum was 22, and had left Egypt to find work in Greece. A very nice individual, he had come to our Cell to avoid some of the more unpleasant Egyptians who had taken over Cell A2. When Mohamed Al-Kurdi was released, he took over my “protection” duty in the adjacent bed.  His English was not great but we could communicate in basic Greek: he taught me a new card game which definitely helped to pass the time. He was financially OK and kept in regular touch with his family via payphone. He also had a medical problem, which was very painful, and had meant a visit to Heraklion main hospital (accompanied of course by a police escort, and in handcuffs) but this led to his early release the day before mine. Unfortunately, the release was so sudden that I could not confirm his full name and contact details, but I think he was “deported” back to Egypt, and I hope he is now OK
  15. Zai – Heraklion Detention. Zai (not his full name) was the one detainee I felt most sorry for. Totally unsuited to imprisonment, he had lived in Crete for some years, had regular work and was paying rent, and supporting his wife and children back in Afghanistan. When he arrived in our Cell, he had no money, and was involved in a fight with a particularly unpleasant Pakistani within a couple of days of arriving. About 30 years old and a very honest and likeable character, he soon learnt that “friends” outside – who owed him money – were not friends. I taught him to play Patience (the card game) and helped support him financially as much as I could. I hope he manages to survive this unpleasant experience and get free again. He was still imprisoned when I left, and unfortunately I did not get his contact details.

Please add any comments, particularly if your name is mentioned here. I would love to hear from you 🙂

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Tribunal Hearing – Myself v. Greek State Immigration

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Adapted Imaginary Cross-Examination (Civil Suit)
All names given apart from that of the Plaintiff are fictitious.
Case Title: Richard James Noble Warren v. The Hellenic Republic
Court: Administrative Court of Athens, Greece (Imaginary Jurisdiction)
Presiding Judge: The Honorable Judge Elena Papadopoulou
Defence Lawyer (for State): Mr. Konstantinos Demetriou
Plaintiff’s Lawyer (Applicant): Ms. Sophia Nikolaidis
Witness: Mr. Apostolos Georgiou, Immigration Official, Heraklion Immigration Centre, Heraklion, Crete
Cross-Examination by Ms. Nikolaidis (Plaintiff’s Counsel)

I. Establishing Authority and Policy

Q: Mr. Georgiou, as a member of the Hellenic Immigration Department, you are trained extensively on Greek Law and International Maritime Law and Greek Residency Requirements, correct?
A: Yes, we receive training.
Q: That training explicitly covers the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the rights of individuals under International Law?
A: Yes, we are aware of international conventions.
Q: You were aware of the difference between individuals arriving by sea who express a fear of persecution and have a right to apply for asylum, and individuals
who have resided in Greece for a number of years and who do not require asylum, were you not?
A: We are aware of the difference.
Q: You are a state official acting under the authority of the Hellenic Republic during the time of my client’s detention and subsequent imprisonment?
A: Yes.
Q: And you were one of the officers handling the case of Mr Warren?
A: Yes.
Q: And were you responsible for the decisions made? – in particular I refer you to documents dated 26th September 2025 and 29th September 2025 Exhibits A, B, C, D, E and F produced here in evidence, and handed to my client at the time of his detention at the Heraklion Police station?
A: Yes.
Q: I will be addressing the contents of these documents, but as I understand it, my client had no lawyer present since he had just been released from the prison Nea Alikarnassos in Heraklion Crete in the belief that he was free to return to his home. Why were the documents referred to written only in Greek?
A: There is no requirement to provide additional translations.
Q: Really? Mr Warren is a retired UK Citizen and 76 years old at the time of his detention: he can speak a little Greek, but he cannot read Greek and he made this clear at the time. Why did you not provide an English translation?
A: There is no requirement to provide additional translations.
Q: Really? Surely it is the right of every individual to have a translator or interpreter present and available? So it follows then that my client had no way of knowing at the time what he was charged with and the exact reasons for his immediate re-arrest and incarceration?
A: I followed the procedure I am trained to follow.
Q: Even though you would or should have been aware that my Client had no way of understanding why he had been imprisoned again?
A: He had the option to appoint a lawyer to represent him and translate the documents.
Q: He had just been released from one prison. He had very few clothes or personal possessions or access to his bank for funds, and was expecting to be returned to his home near Chania. How could he be expected to appoint and have a lawyer familiar with residency and immigration procedures present at such short notice?
A: That was not my concern.
Q: Obviously not….Was there any thought given to the age of my client, and his state of health?
A: I followed procedure.
Q: Did you know that apart from being 76 years old, Mr Warren was suffering from high blood pressure – Exhibit G – something that could have been easily checked from his medical records? The prison from which he had been released was supplying medication and he had visited Heraklion main hospital for tests a month previously?
A: No I was not aware of that.
Q: Not aware of that? Does not the age of the client and his state of health have a direct bearing on whatever punishment you decide to give out?
(Mr. Demetriou: Objection, argumentative.)
(Judge: Sustained.)
Q: I am sorry, Your Honour. 
Q: Is it not normal practice in Greek Law for individuals over 75 years old  to be given the option of Home Confinement rather than detention or imprisonment? 
A: This is a Residency matter.
Q: So Greek Law does not apply? Would this not have been a more appropriate procedure to follow bearing in mind the age of Mr Warren? 

II. The Detention/Imprisonment (Establishing Facts for Wrongful Imprisonment Claim)

Q: When a prisoner is released from a prison, in this case Nea Alikarnassos in Heraklion, the last part of the procedure is to take the prisoner to the nearest police station – in this case Heraklion Central Police station – for final clearances. Is that correct?
A: Yes.
Q: During his initial interview at about 12 midday on Friday 26th September 2025, my client was asked for his Greek Residency Permit. Is that correct?
A: Yes, that is standard procedure. He could not produce one.
Q: After legally and continuously living in Greece for five years, non-EU citizens can apply for a permanent residence permit. Mr Warren retired to Greece in 2012 and met all the criteria for a permanent residence permit, before Brexit occurred in 2019. Do you remember the reason given by my client for not having a Residency permit?
A: Yes. He said he was married to a Greek citizen.
Q: This answer would be a reasonable one, would it not? My client married a Greek citizen in 2015 and remains married to her in 2025 – 10 years?
A: The Residency rules have changed, and being married to a Greek citizen is no longer an acceptable reason for automatic rights of Residency in Greece.
Q: The Greek Laws change all the time, do they not? Common sense would surely dictate that being married to a Greek citizen would at the very least assist in the procedure?
(Mr. Demetriou [State Counsel]: Objection, The witness has no need to respond – conjecture…)
(Judge: Greek Law and the application of Common Sense is not on trial here.)
Q. Thank you for clearing that up, Your Honour. Let me re-phrase the question. My client may have been guilty of not keeping up with Greek Residency requirements,
but would you not agree that he made an honest mistake?
A: I follow procedure and Mr Warren had no valid Residency permit. And there were other reasons to detain him.
Q: Ah, yes, thank you for mentioning that. What were the other reasons?
A: He had three convictions, two for domestic violence and one for having a shotgun on his premises.
Q: So, just to be clear, on the basis of these convictions, you judged him to be – and I quote from your document dated 29th September 2025, Exhibit D in Greek – a “danger
to the people of Heraklion” and my client was a subject for immediate deportation?
A: Yes, that is correct.
Q: So why was he not immediately deported?
A: There was a problem with his Passport which had expired.
Q: Yes, and would you not agree that letting a passport expire is not a crime or in any way illegal.?
A: I would agree.
Q: Is it the case that without a valid passport, Mr Warren could not actually be deported?
A: Yes, that is correct
Q: So your solution – some would say punishment – was to lock up this “dangerous old man” until further notice until the appropriate travel documents could be obtained.
But there was no way Mr Warren could renew his passport if he was in “detention” was there? So in reality, he could have remained locked up indefinitely?
A: In principle, that is correct.
Q: Did Mr Warren appeal against the deportation? Do you remember the reasons?
A: Not as far as I am aware.
Q. Really? Let me refresh your memory. Mr Warren had made his life on Crete since leaving the UK retiring here in 2012, a life which would have been totally destroyed if an immediate deportation was enforced. The second reason he gave was his desire to clear his name and overturn the convictions you mention with a court appearance – effectively a re-trial – due in Chania on 21st October 2025 – please refer to Exhibit H. Do you remember those reasons?
A: Not specifically, no.
Q: Let me refresh your memory: my client’s lawyer at the time – a Mr Manolis Kritzsas – was contacted by my client during his “interview” on 26th September 2025 and spoke to a member of your staff, specifically mentioning the upcoming retrial on 21st October 2025. Do you have a note of that conversation?
A: No
Q: And I thought all calls were recorded and all interviews transcribed? Is this correct?
A: It depends how busy we are at the time.
Q: So are you saying that there were no transcriptions or call recordings made for the interview of Mr Warren on 26th September 2025?
A: Not as such.
Q: I see. Let us now turn to the convictions upon which you based your decision to incarcerate Mr Warren, apparently a “danger to the public of Heraklion”. On 23rd August 2025, lawyers for my client made a successful application in the Court at Chania to annul the previous decisions/convictions, due to the fact that Mr Warren had not been properly summoned as all the relevant court documentation had never been received by my client as they had been sent to a previous residential address. Were you aware of this?
A: No
Q: You should have been aware, surely? Did you not check all the facts and the Court appearance dates for Mr Warren’s case?
A: Not specifically – we relied on police records.
Q. So you made your “deportation” decision based upon inaccurate information, without having checked if these “convictions” were actually safe?
A: I was doing my job based upon the evidence I had.
Q. Why was Mr Warren not allowed to attend the court in Chania on the 21st October 2025? A re-trial which would have given him the opportunity to quash these previous “convictions” on which you based your deportation decision and subsequent detention order?
A: We received no request for Mr Warren to attend that hearing.
Q: Really? Mr Kritzas – Mr Warren’s lawyer at the time – says that he had informed you, but that you or your department had turned down his request. Is that true?
A: Not to my knowledge.

III. Violations of International/Human Rights Law (The Core Claims)

Q: The action of detaining my client in a closed facility without judicial review violates specific EU Directives and the European Convention on Human Rights, does it not?
(Mr. Demetriou: Objection, calls for a legal conclusion from a lay witness.)
(Judge: Sustained. Rephrase the question, Ms. Nikolaidis.)
Q: Are you aware of the conditions and lack of facilities within the Detention Centre in the basement of the main Heraklion Police Station?
A: Yes.
Q: You could hardly have said “no” could you? Your offices are on the first floor of the same building, are they not? Have you actually stayed in one of the cells for a prolonged period?
(Mr. Demetriou [State Counsel]: Objection, The witness has no need to respond…)
(Judge: Where are you going with this line of questioning?.)
Q. Your Honour, I want to emphasize the extraordinary injustice perpetrated on my client, a 76 year old Englishman of good character with little knowledge of the Greek Language, who was unjustly imprisoned for a period between 26th September and 12th December 2025 in a wholly unsuitable detention facility, where his personal health and safety was  at high risk and his personal possessions under direct threat, while outside, his life in Crete was being destroyed as a direct result of his detention.
Q: The detention centre in the basement of the police building is a detention centre, and not a prison, correct? And are you aware of the legal requirements for and the differences between a detention centre – or police holding cell – and a Prison?
A: Yes
Q: A prison has to meet certain standards in International Law and Human Rights legislation – for example, exercise areas. I am sure we can access some Guidelines if you wish. Are you familiar with the differences?
A: I am familiar.
Q: Good. Would you agree that a Holding Cell in a police station – and there are at least 11 holding cells in this particular building which can house up to 60 “detainees” in total – is intended for individuals awaiting criminal trial or held overnght for minor offences? It is by definition a temporary measure?
A: Yes I would agree.
Q. So days rather than months?
Q. I can see you have difficulty answering that question. So let me ask another question. Are you using this “temporary” facility for holding immigration “workers” and asylum seekers who either do not have or who have falsified their visas and/or other residency paperwork?
A: Yes, we do also detain these people.
Q: So this “facility” holds various criminals – drug abusers, drug dealers, drunkards, mental health cases and others awaiting trial – as well as a large number of desperate young men from various third world countries seeking asylum and/or residency permits, and with little or no money?
A: Yes
Q: Taking the second category – let’s call them “immigration seekers” – how long do they remain on average in this detention centre?
A: It depends on the individual and his circumstances.
Q: Is it not the case that individuals can be kept in this wholly unsuitable environment for three months and more?
A; The average detention is about 50 days.
Q: Yes – and there are cases of six months detention. Is this period of time in a wholly unsuitable environment against EU directives and International Law?
(Mr. Demetriou: Objection, calls for an opinion from a lay witness.)
(Judge: Sustained. Rephrase the question, Ms. Nikolaidis.)
Q: Of course, Your Honour. That would be something to be investigated outside of these proceedings. I understand that all inmates are searched before being processed into the cells: shoelaces and belts are removed, and all communication devices such as mobile phones and most other personal effects. Is that correct?
A: Yes, that is standard procedure.
Q: What communication channels are available to inmates?
A: There are payphones operated with phonecards for outgoing phone calls.
Q: And the phonecards need to be purchased? And the call rates to mobiles – even Greek mobiles – are expensive?
A: That is standard procedure in prisons.
Q: Is it not the case that many of the phones do not work, it is almost impossible to hear the other party, there is a long queue for working phones and calls are not private?
A: I am not sure about the condition of the payphones in that facility.
Q: And incoming calls are not allowed?
A: No, but lawyers can visit at any time.
Q: I imagine that very few of the immigration inmates can afford to hire a lawyer. So there is no access to the internet allowed and no way of getting any information apart from by using the payphones?
A: No
Q: If an inmate does not have an immigration lawyer appointed to assist him, how can he find out any information about his own case? Can he request a meeting with
an immigration officer and how would he do that?
A; Yes, he can always request a meeting through the police officers on duty at the time.
Q: Really? Is it not true that the police officers have many other duties, and requests from inmates for help and information have a very low priority?
A: I cannot comment on the system in operation at this police station.
Q: I am glad that you have clarified that. One of the documents that you supplied my client at the very beginning of his confinement was a one page document – actually printed in English. We have the document as Exhibits E and F, if you need to refer to it. Amongst other information, this document has a space available for the name of the liaison officer appointed to provide information on individual cases. Why was this space left blank, with no liaison details?
A: I cannot comment on that.
Q: According to my client, who checked with other inmates, none of the corresponding documents had a name supplied. When my client mentioned this to one of the
police officers, there was a certain amount of laughter generated. Is it not the truth that any communication between your office and prisoners is almost impossible
and strictly discouraged?
A: I cannot comment. We always communicate with any lawyers appointed.
Q: Let me summarise. Any inmate who cannot afford the services of an immigration lawyer – always assuming that it would be posssible in any event to organise this by using a Payphone – is devoid of any method of communication, apart from the Payphone (if working) and is wholly dependant on the goodwill of the police officers on duty at the time. Obtaining any information about particular cases is next to impossible. Would that be a fair summary?
A: I cannot comment on the attitude and helpfulness or otherwise of the police officers on duty.
Q. Within this “facility”, there are no tables and chairs, no seating areas, the only “private” area for an inmate is his concrete bed with a thin mattress and any blankets that can be obtained, this bed being less than one meter from the adjoining bed. There is no privacy whatsoever, and conversations can be heard throughout the cells. The noise generated is unbearably loud and can continue from early morning to 2 or 3 am every day. Fights constantly break out and money and possessions are stolen regularly since there is no privacy between cells and the police are not minded to intervene. Sometimes cells are locked for many hours, which means that my elderly client had to perform his ablutions into empty bottles. Toilets – when available and clean – are the most basic and there is no hot water. Are any of these facts inaccurate?
A: I have no comment.
Q: In that case, I will assume that you accept the deplorable conditions under which my client was forced to exist for 11 weeks during which time he knew that his life in Crete – built up over 13 years – was being destroyed. On 17th November 2025, Mr Warren, in desperation, wrote out a complaint in longhand, and a few days later managed to get the document sent to the email address appearing at the bottom of this document (Exhibit J). Can you confirm whether you or your department received this complaint?
A: I cannot confirm this.
Q: Well, let’s assume that somebody did receive it. Did this have any bearing on his release some weeks later?
A: Not to my knowledge.
Q: I want to try and understand why you thought it was “appropriate” to incarcerate Mr Warren in this detention centre – for 11 weeks as it turned out rather than indefinitely – as opposed to the obvious humane and sensible decision of home confinement or to let him go with a warning that he could face deportation if his application for residency failed. I believe that prison (rather than a detention centre) was not an option as technically he had committed no crime – is that correct?
A: Yes – he could not be sent to prison.
Q: And since you wanted to deport him, he was hardly a “flight risk” was he, without a valid passport?
A: No
Q: So your reason for detaining him in this inhumane facility was that you considered him to be a danger to the “people of Heraklion”? Even though he had been released from prison following his trial at the Chania Court on 24th September 2025? Do you think he would have been released if the Judge in Chania thought him to be a “danger to the public”?
A: That was my assessment.
Q: So without any direct knowledge of the charges which Mr Warren faced, and was subsequently acquitted from, you thought that you knew better than the presiding judges on the Chania Court circuit?
A: No comment.
Q: Mr Warren is – or was – a respected member of his community, he did not need to work and he was not looking for a job, having supported the Greek economy for many
years, he was 76 years old and not in the best of health. Please explain why he was incarcerated with a large number of aggressive young men in their 20s from third world countries, who had nothing in common with my client, and unlike my client, had nothing to lose? They had taken the risk of falsifying papers and/or had made an illegal entry into Greece, since they were looking for a new life and new opportunities?
A: This decision was made based upon the evidence we had at the time.
Q: Before summing up, I would like to know why Mr Warren was eventually released – Exhibit I dated 12th December. I put it to you that it was as a result of his e-mailed complaint dated 17th November and the realisation that a grave miscarriage of justice had occurred – would you agree?
A: I cannot comment on the reasons for his release.
Q: Let me assist you. According to this document, my client was released pursuant to “paragraph 2 of Article 10 of Law 5226/2025” – is this correct?
A: Yes
Q: Paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΕΩΣ)  document – states: “The police authorities responsible for the execution of the return decision may, by their reasoned decision, postpone the removal for a reasonable period of time, taking into account the specific circumstances of each case and in particular:
a) when there are proven serious health problems of the person concerned
circumstances that make immediate removal disproportionate or dangerous,
b) the impossibility of immediate removal, due to the objective impossibility
of establishing identity and
c) for technical reasons, such as the lack of means of transport.”
Which of these special circumstances applied to Mr Warren?
A:  I cannot comment.
Q: Let me help you – it was either on (a) Health grounds, (b) Establishing Identity or (c) Lack of transport. (b) and (c) would seem to be not relevant to Mr Warren, which leaves only his health as the official reason for his release. Would you agree?
A: No comment
Q: If the pre-existing health of my client was the reason for his release,  why was he detained in the first instance and made to spend 11 weeks in this hell-hole of a Detention Centre?
(Mr. Demetriou: Objection, badgering the witness.)
(Judge: Sustained.)
Q: Moving on, Your Honour. The release document  handed to Mr Warren (Exhibit I dated 12th December) orders Mr Warren to “remain at the address he will responsibly declare to the Heraklion Immigration Directorate (Υ.Δ.Ε.Ε.)” But Mr Warren explained to the immigration official delivering this document that he had no current address as a direct result of his detainment and the destruction of his private life. Why was he not then detained further for being unable to comply with this “order”, as clearly required in the release document?
A: I cannot comment on that.
Q: Could it be that the Greek Immigration authorities had realised that a serious miscarriage of justice had occurred which necessitated Mr Warren’s immediate release?

IV. Conclusion

Q: My client was 76 years old at the time of his confinement, and suffering from high blood pressure, which would be exacerbated by further imprisonment. It was not necessary to incarcerate him in a facility which is totally unsuitable – if not illegal – under international law. Surely the correct and reasonable thing to have done was what you did 11 weeks later – give him six months to sort out his residency status?
A: I followed procedure.
Q: You followed procedure? Was this not a complete abuse of your power? Did you not appreciate the irreversible damage this imprisonment would do to his life in Crete?
A: This was not my concern.
Q: Did you really believe that an old man would be a “danger to the people of Heraklion”
A: That was what I believed.
Q: Is it not the case that you and your department acted with no regard to my client’s human rights and your decision to incarcerate him in a totally unsuitable facility was wholly inappropriate and was based upon incorrect information? You were negligent and unprofessional and more interested in punishing an old man from the UK who you believed to be guilty of the ridiculous and biased domestic violence legislation in Greece, where women can make any sort of unsubstantiated claim against men.
You also failed to follow international law regarding his human rights and you took no account of his age and state of health and the likelihood of bullying and harassment and threats to his personal safety in this wholly unsuitable and dangerous “detention facility”. Thanks to you and your department, he has suffered huge amounts of stress, his life in Crete has needlessly been destroyed, he has lost a substantial amount of money by the forced sale of personal possessions, and his reputation has also been destroyed.
A: I followed my orders and training as best I could.
Q: Thank you, Mr. Georgiou. No further questions, Your Honor.

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You Cannot Ignore Artificial Intelligence

Leave a Comment / Domain Buddy Opinions and Comments /

Artificial Intelligence is HERE and we are only Beginning.....

As a test, I requested a psychological profile of the author of this Blog . I told GPT4 to run the report based upon the contents of all the site pages and blogs.

“The author of Domain Buddy’s content presents a clear profile of someone with extensive experience in UK telecommunications, especially VoIP, broadband, and mobile broadband services. Their insights reveal a long-standing familiarity with regulatory and operational challenges in telecom, including evolving broadband needs, customer preferences, and competition with established providers like BT and other mobile operators. The author expresses a critical, often skeptical view of regulatory bodies, acknowledging when they see value in actions by entities like Ofcom but also highlighting frustrations with bureaucratic inefficiencies.

The writing shows a straightforward, sometimes nostalgic tone, often recounting personal anecdotes that detail past business challenges and interactions with colleagues and clients. The author appears pragmatic, focused on providing practical advice for resellers and end users alike, especially on navigating service upgrades, cost savings, and understanding the advantages of fiber, 4G, and 5G broadband options. They also communicate a clear preference for personalized, one-on-one customer service, suggesting they value relationships over impersonal large-scale operations.

The language and references indicate that the author is likely over 50, with decades of industry experience, and highly values long-term customer relationships and ethical business practices over purely profit-driven motives. They show empathy towards small businesses and individual customers, particularly those who are cautious about switching providers, aiming to ease transitions through clear, practical advice and encouragement to capitalize on available options for faster or more affordable broadband solutions【38†source】【39†source】【40†source】.”

A number of massive events have changed all our lives in the last 50 years, and my business life has been directly affected by ALL of them.

Mid to Late 1990s – The first massive event was the WWW and the Internet – probably the most significant change for all of us. A good friend of mine from RAF Cranwell – Howard Bates of 96B Squadron – left Service at about the same time as I did, and made a lot of money in the early days of PCs, software, and then laptops,  and then – Internet access

The second massive event occurred in the early 2000s – the Mobile Phone. The Mobile phone revolution destroyed my telecoms businesses.

The third massive event – Social Media – circa 2015. We have all experienced the explosion of and – some would say – intrusion of Social Media into our lives – Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to name a few of the culprits. With the social media “boom”, the older generation – like myself – risk being left behind.  Social Media also plays an important part in business: people like to know who they are dealing with and expect some personal information and a reference point, and email correspondence is often not enough on its own.

But on the plus side, the Internet has provided a much better way to communicate – if someone publishes memoirs or a book about his/her life or work, there is no way for readers to communicate or give instant feedback to the author or share information with other readers. Now, the internet provides the ability to instantly comment on, or to correct or add to any information. And up until now, I have built only commercial websites with static pages for my telecoms and other businesses. With this evolving Life Blog, I have the right internet “vehicle” to share my many experiences and interests with anyone who is interested!

Which leads me to the fourth massive event – and I want to be on this train – ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The more I understand how this technoloy can be used to make money, the more determined I am to learn more and more …. the possibilities are endless.
Updated Oct 2024

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Punch up at Vauxhall Bridge

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My Brush with London Street Crime

Many years ago I was on my commute back to my home in West London. I was in a business suit, and carrying my everyday briefcase. I used the London underground, which connected to an overline railway for the last part of the journey. To get to the overline from the underground, there was a long escalator up and then a bit of a walk through a dark badly lit tunnel to the steps leading to fresh air. Actually, this was Vauxhall Bridge station. While I was standing on the upbound escalator, there was a bit of a commotion and two men rushed past me – one chasing the other and shouting – and it was apparent that the guy following had had his wallet stolen by the thief in front. Anyway, I did not do anything right away, but when I got to the top of the escalator, I could see that the two men were having a struggle, and it appeared that the thief was winning. So as I passed by, I asked the apparent victim if he needed any help: I was told to “f” off by the thief, and the victim did not answer, so I carried on. There was a second man in the tunnel who I think knew the thief – the tunnel was used by a lot of dropouts as a shelter – and he decided to chase after me. As he closed in behind me, I knew that a kick or blow was coming, so turned round at the last moment, used my briefcase as a shield, and threw a right hand punch which connected with this guy’s chin and knocked him out cold. I looked back at the other fight, which had stopped, and then walked on to the main station. leaving my assailant flat on the floor. Moral of the story – I did not know how badly hurt the man was and spent the next few days anxiously watching the local news for any reports!

Punch up at Vauxhall Bridge Read More »

Third Marriage 2015 to 2021 – Personal

Leave a Comment / Family, Marriages /

So What Went Wrong this Time? I married a Psychopath..

MARIA DOLIANITIS

Maria was born in 1961 and was brought up in Athens. To try to understand Maria Dolianitis, it is necessary to be aware of  the history and the mental state of this woman, who has suffered much illness in her life, had a problematic and abusive childhood, has had many psychological evaluations, and is also addicted to Cannabis. When I first met Maria I knew that she was very ill and had also been diagnosed with Lupus many years previously: she had to have stomach injections every day.   She also had a history of mental illness following the very difficult childhood in Athens.

I thought that I could make a real difference to her life and that I could protect her, and despite the language barrier, we could live happily together. Indeed, this was a reality for the early years of our relationship, but now I realise that too much damage had been done and that maybe she should have been committed to an asylum many years ago. 

Finally, I blame myself for being naive, too trusting and very stupid in ever getting involved.

ABOUT MARIA

This woman has major psychiatric problems, but I know now that she is also very smart at projecting herself as the innocent victim: nothing is ever her fault, and I am sure she can mislead most professional psychiatrists.  And of course she is in Greece and not England, and so later in the marriage when things turned sour, it was very difficult for me to defend myself and correct any untruths. I am not sure why she turned on me: all that I had done is to help her and her unpleasant family, and save her life on several occasions. She will twist any truth to her advantage: she will lie outright and has in her mind a totally different scenario to the reality.  I can now only conclude that she is too damaged as a person and loves only her son – I do not believe she ever loved me. I was like a father for her who could give her things and protect her. She has no idea or concept about what is necessary between two people in a life partnership. Once the money ran out, and she realised that as the reality, she left me.

HOW IT BEGAN

I first met Maria in 2011/2012 when I was visiting from the UK. She was an attractive woman, and I was sorry for her because she had no money, and was living and working in Kefalas, Apokoronas in Crete. She was also very sick, and on one particular day in the morning – this was December 2012 – I saved her life for the first time.

I was staying at a rented Villa in Kefalas, and soon after I had first met Maria, she nearly died from a major blood outage: recognising that she was near death, I drove her to the nearby Vamos Health Centre in Apokoronas, where she was diagnosed as critically ill and needing emergency treatment. She was immediately taken by ambulance to Chania Hospital, where she spent many weeks in intensive care before being transferred first to Heraklion and then as a patient to Athens where she was near her family. 

She recovered in Athens, and because I was attracted to her and admired her fighting spirit and “will to live”, I invited her to Crete in May 2013 to stay with me for some weeks to recuperate.  

After this, our relationship grew, and although I had to return to the UK, and was still married at the time, I supported her financially from the UK so that she could afford her medication and could live independently. She had the use of a small apartment in Vamos provided by George Hadjodakis, her previous business partner in a well known bistro bar in Vamos called the Liakoto, which closed down in 2011.

Maria was addicted to Cannabis and has been so for many years since she suffered from Lupus and other debilitating illnesses: she told me that on medical advice, she began smoking Cannabis more than 20 years previously as it had a beneficial effect on her Lupus and reduced the symptoms associated with this condition. Although I realised it was technically against the Law to smoke Cannabis, there are medical exemptions, and besides, it is also a matter of common knowledge that many people in Greece have this habit. 

2013 – 2016

I gave up my life in the UK to be with Maria. We lived together first in my rented villa in Kefalas and then in Vamos for one year, and I helped her with – and provided finance for – a new creperie business in Vamos (Dollys shop) – which we hoped would be a success. Maria’s sister Eugenie and husband Dimitris had been invited to come to Crete and help run the new business.

In 2014 the shop was closed because Maria was too ill to continue to work and I looked after her and paid for all her medical bills.

In 2014  I was divorced in the UK from my English wife and received some money from the sale of our property in the UK which I planned to live on, with a new life together with Maria in Crete. 

After living in Vamos and then Douliana by renting, we moved to the present house in Kefalas in 2014 which was arranged by Stavros Stavroulakis, (who was later jailed in 2019 for drug related offences). 

We were married on May 31st 2015 at the house in Kefalas with a local civic ceremony – performed by the mayor from Vamos

In 2015, she was diagnosed as needing urgent major heart surgery: of course I paid for this and she had a replacement heart valve operation at the Onassiou hospital Athens in December 2015. For 3 months after this to March 2016 I found another property in Athens and nursed her to recovery myself. I had no help from any of her family or friends or her son. During this time, she had two chronic attacks of fever and was again close to death, but I looked after her and she recovered.

Because we needed to monitor carefully her INR (blood readings) so that the daily post operation medication could be correctly prescribed (normally a blood sample is taken and analysed which Maria found to be painful) I personally researched and bought a new INR reader machine from a German manufacturer, and my son flew from the UK to Athens to deliver this to us.

In April 2016 we returned to the house in Kefalas.

2016 – 2019

Up until this time (April 2016) the marriage was OK – I believe Maria had appreciated all that I had done for her. She had recovered and was now in good health – she only needed a regular daily supply of pills.

But soon after we had returned to Kefalas, the marriage became a disaster: she smoked a great deal of cannabis – which of course was paid for with my savings – and if she did not get the supply, and if everything was not done for her, she became extremely violent disruptive and psychopathic. There was no sex. She did not want to work or help in any way to bring income to the marriage.

In 2015/2016 I advised her to apply for an early State Pension which she was entitled to because of her illness previously – she did nothing about this until 2019 – when she understood that I had no more money after spending it on her, her cannabis addiction, supporting her family and being defrauded of some 55,000 euros by Stavroulakis and 25000 euros to one of her friends here in Kefalas – Manolis Karabinis – who had said he would make work for Maria in his Kafe Neo in Kefalas if we put money into his business. 

There were three other events which were costly and unnecessary and caused me great stress, which ultimately confirmed the breakdown of the marriage

Unwanted Puppies from Maria’s Son Marios
In September 2016 I agreed to help Maria’s son living in Athens, who had stupidly allowed his dog to have puppies: there were four puppies which I agreed to help look after ONLY for a short time until Marios and his mother found a new home for them. I did not want any dogs. I spent a great deal of money converting the house and garden to be “dog proof “. Maria and her son both lied and did nothing to re-home these dogs, and they caused a great deal of damage in the home in Kefalas, and now – after many vet bills and other expenses – they are still here. Maria did very little or nothing at all to help with these dogs from her son.

Accused of being Homosexual
At the same time in 2016 I had found a man from Syria – married to a Greek woman and living in Chania – who was very helpful to me for work I needed doing in the house and garden – rewiring, solar panel installation etc.. For some inexplicable reason, Maria became very jealous of Ibrahim from Syria because I spent time discussing with him the work needed and his family back in Syria (he spoke good English): she accused me of being “gay” and hated this Syrian so much that one day in the house she screamed abuse at him and ripped off her clothes in front of him, I was extremely embarrassed and angry and of course this ended the work with the Syrian.

Supporting Her Family
In December 2016 Maria’s sister and brother were living and working in Crete, and looking after her elderly mother and had been evicted from their apartment in Vamos because they had not paid any rent: I agreed that they should live with us which they did for four months: in April 2017 I arranged a home for them in Kefalas at a rental of 600 euros per month because it was not possible for us all to live together and with four dogs. It was agreed that they would pay me back but of course this never happened. For helping her mother and family, all I received from Maria was verbal abuse. Attachhed below is a copy of a letter I received from her Brother-in-Law in April 2017, Dimitris Galanis, and my emailed reply.

During 2017 Maria became more and more abusive to me and would shout for hours, stopping me from working sleeping or relaxing. she would attack me and break things, throw clothes out of the door, let all the dogs in the house and do everything she could to provoke me. I have photos and some video of this behaviour. I soon understood that the plan was to make me so angry that I would hit her so that she could call the police and make a charge against me. There were indeed a few “fights” but I tried always to subdue her and never to hit her. I had no-one to help me with this major problem and could not understand why she was doing this. I could only conclude that she needed psychiatric help which I tried to persuade her to take.

In June 2017 she burnt in front of me the original of the rental agreement for the Kefalas house and some other important papers she found on my desk. About the same time she threw on the floor and broke the expensive INR reader I had organised for her when we were in Athens and which she needed to monitor her health.

Attempted Suicide and the Nightmarish Aftermath

Some time later in 2017 Maria’s mother died: after some weeks in October 2017 Maria tried to kill herself. On that day she drank alcohol and over-dosed on her mother’s medication. I took her – with a mutual friend called Pari Franceskakis who lived in Vamos and was a witness to all that happened – to the Vamos Health centre where they tried to remove the alcohol and pills from her stomach.

All this time Maria was very abusive to the doctors and staff: they could do nothing for her and she was forcibly taken by ambulance to Chania hospital. I followed in the car – the time now was about 9 pm. After many hours – and much more abuse from Maria – the doctors took her out of the emergency ward to a bed in the corridor of the hospital – the time now was about 2 in the morning.

I asked the doctors what should now happen. and another doctor – who I believe was a psychologist – came and tried to talk with Maria. Again Maria was very abusive to her and the doctor could not discuss anything with her: I asked the doctor  what could be done and she told me that there were two choices: either Maria should be entered into the psychiatric hospital or she should go home since the danger to her life was now over.

Unfortunately for me, I made the wrong decision and decided to take her home because I still cared for her: in the car – on the main road – she started again to be abusive – screaming at me and opening the car window and passenger door and throwing things out of the car. She also tried to hit me and to actually kick me while I was driving – endangering our lives and other people on the road.

As soon as I could safely do so, I stopped the car close to Vamos – just outside Kalives and off the main road – and ejected her from the car. I then called the friend Pari in Vamos and asked her to please collect Maria because I could not safely take her any further. Luckily for us, Pari was a good friend and collected Maria in her car even though this was 3 in the morning: I had stopped to check Pari was coming before driving back to Kefalas, and when I saw her car on the road, I called her and asked that she take Maria to her home for the night. Unfortunately Maria did not want this and she was brought to Kefalas by Pari.

Time for a Psychiatrist.
After this episode, which Maria said that she did not remember, I told her that she needed psychiatric help urgently because this behaviour could not continue: she agreed and started to see a  psychologist/psychiatrist called Katarina working at the Vamos Health Centre, and for some time I helped by taking Maria to the Centre for what I hoped would be beneficial for her and our failed relationship.

Maria’s Plan to Involve the Police.
Unfortunately, nothing changed: the abuse to me from Maria continued throughout 2018. Some days would be ok and she would do the things around the house that you would expect from a wife: other days she would do absolutely nothing and repeat hours of verbal and physical abuse all with – now I understand – the aim of making my life miserable and trying to provoke me into hitting her so that she could call the police and file charges.

In October 2018 she disappeared from the house for one month and I understand now that she was in a woman’s sanctuary or shelter in Chania. I was only happy that she was not in Kefalas  Unfortunately she then wanted to return and there was nothing I could do to prevent this happening.

In May 2019 she filed a complaint about me with the police and I had to attend the police station in Vrisses.

Things continued to be very stressful for me in 2019 with the same behaviour from Maria, except that she did absolutely nothing to help, and used the house as as a hotel – sometimes not returning for a few days. Of course she had keys for the house, and I provided food and paid for her mobile phone and medical precriptions.  In April 2019 Stavroulakis cut electricity and water supplies to the house, which caused me  immense stress, and I needed Maria out of the house permanently.

Luckily for me, this has now happened and I will be issuing Divorce proceedings as soon as I am able to do so. 

email evidence 2017 -2018

The truth of the matter is that in this relationship, I was the victim of abuse and assault for many years as is evidenced in part by copies of the four emails below.

emails 1 to 3 were emails asking for help and sent to her brother-in-law Dimitris Galanis who lived nearby at the time.

email 4 was sent to her son Marios who had either been lied to by his mother or – more likely – was part of the conspiracy.

Of course I received no help from this dysfunctional and unpleasant family, which now I understand has never seen me as a member of the family, but only as someone who could provide financial help.

April 22nd 2017 @ 16:10 to Dimitris Galanis dhmhtrhs.galanhs@hotmail.com Brother in Law

Dear Dimitri,

Unfortunately, and as usual, you only hear or listen to one side of the story.

It is not my style and I do not think it is correct to involve family in personal issues –  Maria should not call you every time we have an argument. For your information, she tried to break many things last night (but did not burn any more contracts, thank God). I am the one with blood today and not Maria…. she has done nothing all day and is currently talking with Pari.

I do not believe I have to prove any more how much I love Maria – I think the last 3 years have shown that – but the truth is that I am not able to continue being responsible for trying to do everything for someone who appreciates nothing and tries to break everything good and constructive that I try to do. This is the behaviour of a spoilt and unpleasant child – not the behaviour of a wife – and this is my big problem with her and why I wanted her to see a psychologist for the sake of our relationship.  About how husbands and wives are supposed to be with each other – unfortunately I am sure the relationship was not discussed, which is the entire point for me of meeting with a psychologist…..why does she get so angry? why does she believe that it does not matter how bad a thing she does – and how many times – to her husband, but expects unconditional love and forgiveness for everything….

I am committed to our agreement – please do not let Maria try and give you any stress for this. Unlike my wife, I keep my promises and I will always wish and do the best for you and Evgenia.

Warm regards Richard

May 2nd 2017 @ 17:01 to Dimitris Galanis Brother in Law to Maria 

Hi Dimitri

Sorry to trouble you – thank you for last night. I am e-mailing you rather than phoning you because it is easier for us both I think.

The problem I have with Maria continues – now it is one week of continual screaming, and poison and abuse from her, making my jobs extremely difficult if not impossible, while of course she does nothing in the house, or for the dogs (unless she wants to do something of course). The plan for Maria I believe is the same as before – to try and get me so angry that she can run to the police and say that I hit her and what a bad man I am and how she was right all the time 🙁

Now I am a very bad person because we came to eat at Xaso Mari as if now I am stealing money from you because we did not pay!!!! Of course she is trying all the time to destroy any relationship and trust between me and the family – because now in her mind I am the “devil” and gay 🙁 

And why? – because I am not now doing whatever she wants.

The main problem for her now is Ibrahim – she is putting all the blame for our failing relationship on this man, and all the time I hear bullshit from Maria about how I had a homosexual relationship with this Syrian guy while she was in Athens last summer, while I was working very hard to get the house ready for four dogs,  Of course this is not true – I have never been gay and I am sure Ibrahim is not gay either. But the truth is of no importance to Maria. After months of continuous poison and lies, I started to protect myself from this abuse by agreeing with all the bullshit I heard. 

As I said in my previous e-mail, I really need some help from you and Nannie with Maria –  and I hope you will come tomorrow so we can all talk privately – including Maria of course. She has to know from you that she cannot play with peoples lives and businesses as she is doing – she needs to fix our relationship and the way to start is to stop all the poison – if she can.

Best wishes to you and Nanny

Richard xx

May 3rd 2017 @ 18:03 to Dimitris Galanis Brother in Law to Maria

Sorry to trouble you again – appreciate you have business. However, Maria has just broken/smashed the INR reader needed regularly for her tests – I have had abuse from her all day – I fear that without someone else talking with her, this situation is out of control 🙁

Richard xx (as you see from the previous e-mail, I had hoped for a meeting today..) I need help here.

August 7th 2018 @ 21:30 Extract from email to Marios Vlachos @ vlachosmar@gmail.com 

……On this day (October 2017), Manolis (Karabinakis) was at home here in the morning with us both, and we could see what Maria was doing – drinking alcohol and taking her mother’s pills. Your mother was past “reason” (more out of her mind than normal) and should probably under other circumstances have been taken to an asylum: ask Manolis.  In the afternoon I called Pari (Frantzeskakis) to come and help, and talk with your mother – Maria had taken something more, and we tried to make her drink salt in water to make her sick and evacuate the pills from the stomach (my idea). This was not enough though to prevent her losing coherence and I decided to take her to Vamos Health Centre, and Pari – as the good friend she is – came too even though she had other commitments. 

At the Vamos Health Centre, now some time in the late afternoon/early evening, they tried to get your mother to tell them exactly what she had taken without success: next they tried for several hours to make her  take voluntarily and then by force something which would clear her stomach – ask Pari

After this, they said that because Maria was such a difficult patient, and they could not be sure they had cleared the stomach, and because she was abusive, your mother was physically (i.e. not voluntarily) put into an Ambulance and taken to Chania hospital. Of course, she told me to “fuck off” etc as normal, but I followed the ambulance and was there by her bedside when they admitted her at about 9 p.m. (does this scenario  sound familiar to you?)

Many hours later – I was at her bedside all the time – at about 2 in the morning? – she was removed to a bed outside the original ward because she was out of danger, and I was told we were now waiting for the hospital psychologists to visit and assess her condition. When they came, your mother was unbelievably rude and it was clear that they did not want to keep her. I asked one of the female psychologists who spoke good English what options there were, as I thought she should stay in the hospital until she was fully recovered. The psychologist told me that  as your mother had no intention of staying in the hospital there were only two choices. The two choices were (1) Involve the police and get an order to have Maria forcibly taken to an area for mentally disturbed patients attempted suicides etc, or (2) to take her home.

By now it was 2 or 3 a.m.  I decided to take her home even though I dreaded the thought , because she was still manic.

On the main road from Chania, she started being extremely abusive and to throw things out of the car. This quickly turned to physical violence – she was hitting me as I drove the car. She could easily have killed us both. When I reached Kalives, and was coming up the hill to Vamos, she started kicking the steering wheel, kicked me in the face and kicking anything else reachable. I stopped the car, forced her out in the interests of our own safety, and then called Pari as I drove to Vamos, explained what had happened and where she was and asked her to please go and collect Maria from the spot.

Pari did that – for which I am very grateful – but that was not the end of the problem, because unfortunately Maria then wanted to come home to Kefalas and not stay with Pari as I had hoped for the rest of that night – I had had enough by then and had hoped I could have one or two hours to myself, but it was not to be.

The truth is Marios, you ungrateful unappreciative boy, that I loved your mother at the time and did everything I could, and she should really have been “committed” to an asylum for a period. Many husbands would have walked away after this one episode, let alone many other previous unpleasant experiences too many of which to list here.. 

I did not walk away or get her “committed” to an asylum – I gave her yet another chance to show me that this would never happen again. So many chances, so many disappointments ….

And after this, what bullshit did she tell you? And you believed it all???

You and your mother owe me a great deal Marios – I have saved her life two or three times and paid for a new heart, acted as unpaid and unappreciated nurse for 3 months in Athens after the operation – what a nightmare that was –  restored her health and suffered months of abuse – for which you care nothing. And you have always known the truth about your psychotic mother – are you secretly ashamed of her? Never can you repay me for what I have done for you both. My life with your mother has been a nightmare, and I now regret that I ever got involved with her.

It is unbelievable to me now how unloving and unlovable Maria is – maybe because the money has finished? 

You deserve each other.

The Ultimate Betrayal. How the Conspiracy to Defraud Began

Despite the violence and abuse I suffered from Maria for several years, I never hit her and any “injuries” she claims to have suffered in her attempt to discredit me were self inflicted.

It is now clear to me that the marriage was failing from 2016, and that her plan was then to constantly try to provoke me into hitting her so that she could call the police and cause trouble. I have personal videos and photos taken during this time as proof of her psychotic behaviour and the damage this woman caused to me and the house. 

As a result of this violence, and because I suspected that there was a link, I had told her that I would no longer support her Cannabis addiction

What is for me very difficult to accept is that I was the target in a conspiracy involving  three people – all connected by Cannabis. My own wife Maria, Manolis Karabinis and Stavros Stavroulakis. All three colluded together.

In 2017 and 2018 my wife attempted to embarrass me with lies of physical violence to the local police, and the plan presumably was that she thought that this would mean more money for her in any subsequent  divorce settlement.

When she knew that I had no more money in 2019, she left me and went to Athens, for which I was very grateful.

In 2017, Stavroulakis with the support of Maria eventually persuaded me to loan him 50,000 euros to support his Holiday Property Business. Again I now realise that there was never any intention to repay this money, but I am sure that Maria benefitted by receiving Cannabis from Stavroulakis as she had done from 2014.

In 2018, Maria and Manolis Karabinis devised a plan to defraud me of 25000 euros, which was to be used ostensibly to rebuild the Kefalas Kafeneio, supported by a legal agreement known as a KOIIN.sep. I realise now that Manolis never had any intention of repaying this money, and that some of the loans were used to supply cannabis to Maria.

Letter from Galanis
Letter from Galanis
Reply Galanis Aug2017
Reply Galanis Aug2017

Third Marriage 2015 to 2021 – Personal Read More »

A Xmas Present from OFCOM!!

Leave a Comment / Domain Buddy Opinions and Comments, Telecoms Voice and Data /

OFCOM Does it Again!

Foreword

Just when I thought that I had been complimenting OFCOM – the UK Communications Regulator – far too often recently, they spring another surprise on me!

Locked Handsets

Their latest release dated  17th December 2021 – reproduced in full below – addresses a problem which has been irritating both customers and resellers for years.

Owing to the financial “muscle” of the UK Mobile Networks (the main four being O2, Vodafone, EE and Three) new and existing customers buying a new Mobile package have often been seduced by an offer to include a new Handset as part of that package.

Often most or all of the cost of the new mobile phone handset would be  incorporated into the monthly payments due under the two year + contract entered in to by the customer. In many cases, this was an unbeatable offer for the consumer, since modern handsets are expensive, and payment by instalments a very attractive option.

For the Network, it was a brilliant “win win” strategy: because the customer was tied in to a lengthy contract, they made profits both on the call volume and data usage, AND the sale of the handset.

Last, but not least, the new mobile phone was tied or “locked” to that Network, which means it could not easily be used by the customer seeking a better value contract elsewhere.

Although “Out of Contract” handsets could be “unlocked” this was and still is a tedious and inconvenient process, involving a charge and often a delay.

Now OFCOM have galloped to the rescue, and Mobile Operators can no longer “lock” customer phones. Admiitedly this applies only to new contracts, and also is probably needed to help simplify problems in the offing through the new eSIM product now part of the latest mobile phones, but it is nevertheless a very welcome development.

The Good News Does not Stop There!

Almost as an afterthought, OFCOM also confirms that the Maximum Contract Term for either a new Mobile Phone or Broadband Package cannot exceed 2 years!!

This – coupled with the new directive to simplify switching broadband providers – is exceptionally good news for Consumers, Broadband Brokers and Resellers

 

OFCOM Release 17th December 2021

“Mobile companies now banned from selling locked handsets

Phones and internet
News

Mobile phone companies are now banned from selling customers locked handsets, under new Ofcom rules that come into force today.

Some companies have still been selling mobile phones that can’t be used on other networks, unless they are unlocked. But this can be complicated for customers and cost around £10 too.

Our research shows that more than a third of people who decided against switching said having to get a handset unlocked put them off changing provider. This means they could be missing out on a better deal.

And almost half of customers who try to unlock their phone have difficulties doing so – including long delays or loss of service.

So we have brought in new rules that come into force today, and mean mobile companies are now banned from selling locked phones. This will make it easier for people to move to a different network with their existing handset, hassle-free.

Any mobile customers who want to change provider can take advantage of the simple text-to-switch process, where you can now get the code you need by simply sending a free text message.

Bundles limited to two-year contracts

Other new measures that come into force today include extending our rules that limit phone and broadband contracts to a maximum of two years, so they cover bundles. Also, if a customer adds a service to their package, providers will not be able to extend the contract periods of the existing services the customer already has without their consent.

This will help give customers more flexibility to switch package or provider, without being locked into long deals.

More support for disabled customers

We’ve also strengthened our existing requirements on phone and broadband companies to provide blind or vision impaired customers with bills and contract information in accessible formats, such as braille or large print.

We’ve extended the scope of these rules, so disabled customers can request that any important information about their service – excluding marketing materials – is provided in a format that is reasonably acceptable to meets their needs, and at no extra cost.

These rules are part of a package of changes we are introducing, to help ensure phone and broadband customers are treated fairly and they can find the best deal for them with ease.

Find out more on how to make sure you’re getting the most out of your phone and broadband services from our consumer advice pages.”

A Xmas Present from OFCOM!! Read More »

Full-fibre broadband in 8 million UK homes?

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The Latest OFCOM Report on UK Broadband Availability - Comment

Foreword

On December 16th, 2021 OFCOM published it’s latest report on how UK Fixed Broadband coverage – or “roll-out” – is progressing. According to the Article (reproduced below) 8 million homes in the UK can now theoretically enjoy full fibre – the fastest type of fixed broadband. Less than 2 million Homes have actually got full fibre installed. For the first time, the OFCOM also report on 5G coverage (the fastest mobile or wireless broadband) and claim that approximately half of the UK can now access 5G.

Comment on Full Fibre Rollout

Whilst I would not argue with the figures or the claimed broadband coverage – both of which look impressive – the  more interesting information concerns the “take-up”.

According to the report, if full fibre is now connected to 2 million Homes (presumably mostly city based) then 6 million customers have not upgraded, which means that there is a huge market available to the various broadband salesmen and resellers.

Along with this opportunity comes a big requirement for resellers to educate the customer – after all, many UK Homeowners are quite happy with their existing ADSL for internet browsing etc and have no requirement or desire to download or stream Videos and Films or take part in online Gaming, both of which would need full-fibre speeds.

And many have not as yet given any thought to the ramifications of the BT switch off, the most important being the loss of their traditional phone line.

Here are some of the reasons why Homeowners may resist upgrading:

  • Price – unless there is an immediate cost benefit, any decisions will be delayed. 
  • Inertia/Resistance to Change – the majority of customers are happy with the status quo and need valid reasons or imminent deadlines to change
  • Education – if they are unaware of the advantages of upgrading their Broadband
  • Age – many older customers have a natural resistance to new technology
  • No Necessity – where broadband data usage is minimal (e.g. single occupancy)

Where Better Broadband is Really Needed – 123,000 Homes

The OFCOM report also mentions that “around 123,000 homes still do not have access to a ‘decent’ broadband connection – defined as offering download speeds of 10 Mbit/s and upload speeds of 1 Mbit/s. However, orders have been placed under the Government’s universal broadband service that will result in around 6,500 households being connected to full-fibre broadband, and thousands more are expected to benefit from this scheme and others”. 

Recommendations

I would urge any reader who is unhappy with his Home Broadband Service to check out the Universal Broadband Service . Or to contact an Independent Broadband Broker – here is a helpful Video with the names of some recommended Brodband Broker Services.

For information on Fixed Broadband in the UK, choices available and technical terms simply explained, I recommend this website.

Comment on 5G Rollout

The same OFCOM Report states: “We estimate that around half of UK properties are in areas where 5G is available outside from at least one mobile network operator.” 

Again I would not dispute the figures, but I would point out that the key word in this statement is “outside”, meaning outside the Home.

Most consumers would want to use their Broadband inside the Home, and this is where 5G coverage deteriorates rapidly. The strongest 5G signal – and therefore the higher speeds – are available only with (1) “line of sight” to a suitable mast and (2) no impediment, such as trees or property walls or structures in the vicinity. Although it is possible to construct an outside antenna, which connects by cable to a wireless router inside the Home, this does add to the installation costs of the service.

However I am a big fan of Wireless Broadband, which has other advantages over Fixed Broadband and can be cheaper in the long run. I recommend this site for further information on 5G.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that rapid progress is being made in Full Fibre roll out and 5G Broadband, but to improve the “take-up” new customers will need to be properly educated and informed – either by OFCOM, Independent Broadband Advisers and Brokers and Company Salesmen. And if you are a potential Broadband customer, make sure you are aware of the Community Fibre companies operating in your Home Town or Area: these Broadband providers are normally independent, and can offer special deals.

The Full OFCOM news release is published below.

Please feel free to add any Comments to the Blog and/or sign up.

 

Festive movie favourites in less than a minute – full fibre reaches 8m homes

Telecoms infrastructure
News
  • Full-fibre broadband now available to more than 8 million homes, as rollout accelerates
  • Millions have already boosted their broadband, but many others yet to take advantage
  • Decent broadband at highest-ever level, but more to do to reach remaining 123k homes
  • Around half of the properties in the UK are now in an area with outdoor 5G coverage

Fast, reliable internet connections are now available to more people than ever before, allowing millions of families to download their favourite Christmas movie in less than a minute.

With many people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland currently working from home, Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations reports on the availability of broadband and mobile services across the UK.

Growth of full-fibre broadband availability in the UK. More than 8 million homes (28%) can now get full-fibre broadband.

It reveals that the rollout of future-proof, full-fibre technology is accelerating at its fastest ever rate. More than 8 million homes (28%) can now get full-fibre broadband – an increase of 3 million properties in the last year.

In 2021, 750,000 homes upgraded to faster, more reliable full-fibre services, taking the number of properties connected to nearly two million. But these homes still represent less than a quarter (24%) of those to which full-fibre upgrades are available.

With 7.4 million broadband customers out of contract and likely to be paying higher prices for slower speeds, many households could upgrade to a discounted full fibre package without paying more than they currently do.

Why would I need full fibre?

Full-fibre connections – along with upgraded cable networks – can deliver download speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s[1], which could be particularly beneficial over the Christmas period when data use increases. At this speed, families with full-fibre services could download Christmas film favourite Elfin High-Definition in less than a minute, compared with around 25 minutes for those with superfast broadband (30 Mbit/s).

On a decent (10 Mbit/s) connection, it would take around 1 hour and 15 minutes to download Elf. On a gigabit (1 Gbit/s) connection, it would take less than a minute.

Full fibre can better support data-hungry households where family members need to stream, work, game, video-call and study online at the same time. In a year when many people continue to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, average monthly data use grew to 453 GB per connection – more than treble the level of five years ago (132 GB).

Connecting the hardest to reach

Around 123,000 homes (0.4% of the UK) still do not have access to a ‘decent’ broadband connection – defined as offering download speeds of 10 Mbit/s and upload speeds of 1 Mbit/s. At this speed, it could take up to an hour and a half to download an HD film.

The UK Government and governments in each of the UK nations continue to deliver projects aimed at making sure people in the hardest-to-reach areas can get the connections they need.

Since its launch in March 2020, orders have been placed under the Government’s universal broadband service that will result in around 6,500 households being connected to full-fibre broadband, and thousands more are expected to benefit from this scheme and others.

Many families now have multiple devices on the go at the same time for work, learning and entertainment – and the festive holidays can see a particular battle for bandwidth.

Full fibre is helping meet those demands, with millions more benefitting from faster speeds and more reliable connections. But some homes in hard-to-reach areas still struggle to get decent broadband, so there’s more work to do to make sure these communities get the connections they need.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Network and Communications Group Director

5G coverage revealed

The rollout of 5G mobile continues to make swift progress, and for the first time we have published 5G coverage data.

We estimate that around half of UK properties are in areas where 5G is available outside from at least one mobile network operator. Take-up of 5G-enabled handsets has increased substantially, from just 800,000 last year to more than six million in 2021.

Although doubling in the last year, 5G traffic still accounts for a relatively small proportion of overall mobile data traffic at 3 per cent, with 4G remaining the dominant technology at 91 per cent.

Overall, mobile data consumption increased by 37% in the last year.

Notes to editors

  1. By September 2021, Gigabit-capable broadband was available to 13.7 million homes (47%). This includes full-fibre and upgraded cable networks that are capable of delivering download speeds of 1Gbit/s or higher. This figure has since further increased following Virgin Media O2 completing the upgrade of its network.
  2. We estimate that 5G is available from at least one mobile network operator in the vicinity of 42-57% of premises. The range is based on the information provided to us by operators and informed by our own measurement work.
  3. An interactive version of the report, also published today, allows people to look up how coverage compares in their area.
  4. The International Broadband Scorecard compared broadband availability and take-up across 17 different nations.
  5. Improving your wifi experience
  6. Estimated download speeds used in the Elf graphic are indicative

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The Formula 1 Season 2021 Comment

Leave a Comment / General, Sport /

Mercedes Have Only themselves to Blame

Foreword

I have just finished watching the last race of the Formula 1 Season in Abu Dhabi. Those who know me will also know that Formula 1 is one of my passions, and I will never miss a televised race if at all possible. My favourite F1 Racer is Nigel Mansell – who could ever forget his bravery and commitment and his hugely exciting battles on the track with other “Greats” like Ayrton Senna?

Contrast him with Michael Schumacher – a seven times World Champion – but not a “sportsman” in any sense of the word, winning at least two of his world titles by foul means.

I mention Schumacher because there was a real danger that one of the two protagonists in this year’s championship would resort to – let’s be polite – unfair methods to win the title. 

Mercedes and Red Bull – the two Teams in Contention

The F1 Race teams are run by two individuals – Toto Wolf for Mercedes and Christian Horner for Red Bull. 
I happen to like Christian Horner who is obviously passionate about his job, and backs this up with excellent team management – especially when team strategy is required. In many of the Races this season, the Red Bull race pitstop strategy has been exemplary – they have almost always made the right decisions.
Contrast this with Mercedes, where in several races in 2021, their pitstop strategy has been – to put it politely – questionable, and in my view have undoubtedly cost their lead driver his chance for an 8th World Title. There was no more glaringly obvious cock-up than in today’s final “winner takes all” Race.

The Contestants – Hamilton and Verstappen

I have huge respect for Lewis Hamilton as a Racing Driver and deserved World Champion, his seven World Titles matching Michael Schumacher. Although I feel that his personal opinions about life outside F1 would be better kept to himself, there is no doubting his racecraft and outstanding ability. Above all, he has a deserved reputation as a “fair racer”. He is in my mind the best F1 Driver out there, notwithstanding the result of today’s final race of the sesaon.
At this point I should make it clear that I wanted Hamilton to win.

Max Verstappen is another hugely talented driver, for whom I have great respect. However, his “will to win” is borderline kamikaze – and he will not back out of a confrontation which will result in an accident, even when he is the driver who should clearly give way – as most reasonable drivers who value life and safety would do. This is why I mentioned Schumacher earlier.

Abu Dhabi Race 2021

The Final Race of the season was as exciting and absorbing as one could have hoped for, but for the wrong reasons, as I will explain.

Red Bull’s Verstappen had put together an awesomely good qualifying lap (possibly with some help with slip streaming his team mate Sergio Perez) and started on Pole, with Hamilton in second. 

Hamilton made a blistering start, overtook Verstappen into the first corner, and proceeded to extend his lead, as Verstappen could not make any impression. After some 20 laps or so, Verstappen pitted for fresh tryes,  closely followed by Hamilton (Mercedes got that right – all they had to do was mirror the Red Bull pitstop strategy) and the race positions were then (1) Sergio Perez (2) Hamilton (3) Verstappen – at this point, Perez had not pitted.

The Value of a Good Team-Mate
As Hamilton inexorably closed on Perez, we were then treated to a fierce defence of the lead by Perez – some might say that the defence bordered on “dangerous driving” – but after holding Hamilton back for some laps, which cost Hamilton seven seconds of his lead over third placed Verstappen – the inevitable overtake was accomplished and Hamilton re-took the lead.

I have speculated many times on the value of a determined team-mate, for example Alonso‘s defending against Hamilton in an earlier race which allowed his Alpine team-mate Ocon to win, and possibly – in retrospect – denied Hamilton the World Champonship. Valtierri Bottas – Hamilton’s team-mate – has failed time and time again to  put up any resistance in similar scenarios.

The Finale

Having passed Perez, Hamilton’s lead over Verstappen had reduced to under 2 seconds, and both drivers were now on hard tyres which could last until the end of the race. However, Hamilton started to pull away again, the lead extending lap by lap until it was some 8 seconds, a comfortable gap to defend. At this point, with only six or seven laps remaining, barring some major track incident, the race was Hamiltons.

Safety Car

Unfortunately for Hamilton and Mercedes, the young and relatively inexperienced Williams driver Latifi lost control of his car and slammed into the barriers, with about six laps remaining. This meant a Safety Car, and Red Bull took full advantage by pitting Verstappen almost immediately for a fresh set of soft tyres (the fastest compound)

WHY ON EARTH DID MERCEDES NOT FOLLOW SUIT ???????
This was where Hamilton lost the Race and the Title – inexplicable behaviour from the Mercedes team, which was later compounded by the Race Director, Micahel Masi, in an inexplicable “about turn”, allowing lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car, which meant that Verstappen regained second place immediately behind Hamilton, on brand new fresh tyres.

When the Safety Car pitted and the race restarted with only one lap remaining, there was only going to be one winner.

If I was Lewis Hamilton, I would be extremely unhappy with the Mercedes Team, whatever diplomatic language we may hear from him. A lack of strategic common sense from his support team has definitely cost him an 8th Formula 1 World Title.

Analysis – Final Pit Stop

Red Bull
There was only one option open to Red Bull when the Safety Car was deployed: Verstappen was never going to catch Hamilton if he stayed out with the Hard Compound Tyre. Bringing him in as soon as possible and hoping for an opportunity was a “no brainer”

Mercedes
The situation was admittedly more complex for Mercedes. Their driver had performed brilliantly, done all he could be expected to do, and the only scenarios which could prevent Hamilton from winning were either a car problem (maybe tyre related) or a Safety Car.

Earlier in the race, Hamilton’s engineer was on the radio asking which tyre he would prefer in the event of a Safety Car – Hard or Medium – which meant that they were at least alive to that possibility. This should have meant that strategies had been prepared.

However, once the Red Bull had pitted for new tyres, the Mercedes team seemed unsure what to do: there was TV footage of Mercedes mechanics appearing to be ready for Hamilton pitting, only to then return to the garage – this happened a couple of times while the race continued slowly behind the Safety Car. Presumably they then thought that it was too late to pit, and maybe the Safety Car would remain out for the rest of the race. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

If Verstappen had stayed out on track, and not pitted, the right decision would have been to leave Hamilton there too. However, the reason these guys at Mercedes are paid the “big bucks” is because they should be able to predict factors such as the actions of the Red Bull Team, the likely delay necessary to clear the track (the position of the crashed car) and the number of laps remaining in the race when and if the Safety Car was no longer deployed. 

The correct decision would have been to bring Hamilton in for fresh tyres as soon as possible, and even before Verstappen, if the Pit Lane entrance had been available. Even if he then dropped a couple of places to Verstappen, he would still have had a fighting chance for the win. Once that window of opportunity had closed, they could only hope that the race would finish under the safety car.

Conclusion – An Unfair Result compounded by Inconsistency

The outcome of the final race of the 2021 season and the winner of the Formula 1 World Title was decided by a back marker crashing out of the race. Red Bull and Verstappen should be extremely grateful to Nick Latifi.

And Micahel Masi must go – there is no place for inconsistency in Formula 1 especially from the Race Director, He has lost the confidence of the Teams and many of the drivers.

Please feel free to add any Comment – see below. Did you watch the race?

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