A Scottish father is stranded in Thailand after allegedly accidentally picking up a woman's phone in a bar, leading to fears he could face jail time. Rory McColl, 37, from Edinburgh, arrived in Bangkok earlier this month and claims he mistook the woman's phone for his own on March 9.
McColl spent the first two nights of his holiday in a Thai jail cell before paying £1,000 bail. However, police seized his passport, leaving him stuck in the country for nearly a month as he awaits a court date. His sister, Joanna McLaughlin, has spoken out, fearing he may receive a prison sentence for the misunderstanding.
Writing on a GoFundMe page, Joanna explained that Rory usually keeps his phone in his pocket but had forgotten he was using a travel waist bag. When he couldn't find his phone, he saw a similar device on the bar and picked it up. The phone's owner involved the police, who arrested him for theft.
Joanna described the conditions in the Thai jail as 'horrendous'. After his release, Rory sought help from the British Embassy but was told they cannot intervene in criminal cases. He is now staying in a cheap hotel in Pattaya while his family raises funds for living costs and legal fees.
Joanna added: 'A lawyer will be very expensive. He has already had to pay £1,000 bail money and various payments to the police. His travel insurance won't cover the costs of missing his flight home.' The family is desperate to bring Rory back to his son and his job at Buck's Bar in Edinburgh.
