Arrested waiter claims immunity

Press, 5 March 1987, Page 10

Arrested waiter claims immunity

NZPA-PA London A Jordanian arrested in connection with more than a dozen sex offences has been released because he claimed diplomatic immunity, Scotland Yard said yesterday. The man, believed to be a waiter at the Jordanian Embassy, was arrested last Friday by detectives investigating 15 indecent assaults in Holland Park, in West London. He was released when he claimed diplomatic immunity, said a Scotland Yard spokesman. "A report will be submitted to Scotland Yard,” said the spokesman.

“We have had full and total co-operation from the Jordanian Embassy,” he added.

The spokesman was unable to say whether the

man was definitely entitled to the protection of diplomatic immunity. The police report will also go to "relevant authorities,” believed to be the Home Office and Foreign Office, where Ministers have recently come under pressure to take action over suspects attached to embassies claiming diplomatic immunity. Last month members of Parliament protested about a Government decision not to attempt to extradite an American questioned about , the indecent assault of a girl, aged 6. The man claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the United States. The Foreign Office Minister of State, Baroness Young, disclosed recently that three foreign diplomats accused of serious criminal offences had been forced to leave their London posts last year after their countries refused to waive diplomatic immunity.