Ernesto Leal in his London
home recently and (right)
during his days as an Edinburgh club promoter‘
The Leal deal
He’s threated with deportation, but the campaign for the release of Edinburgh-raised Ernesto Leal is gathering momentum, as Allan Radcliffe reports.
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lcatured a letter Irom Sonia
I.eaI. outlining her passionate campaign for the release ol‘ her brother. Iirncsto. ()n | May. Iirnesto I.caI. a well-known inusic and tII'ts promoter. was arrested by thirty armed police olliccrs at his London home and issued with a deportation order bel’ore being incarcerated ttt Itelmarsh Prison. IIis lamin is understandany concerned that Iirnesto has been made a scapegoat ol' the current. increasineg draconian political climate.
I.eaI‘s status in this country should not be in question. The Iainin arriy ed in the I'Is' as Itolilical ret'ugees l‘rom ('hiIe in I077. The children were brought up and educated in Iidinburgh. Iirncsto cary ing out a career as an entrepreneur and club promoter. his output including the popular ‘IiI ('ambalache' at (are Royal.
Two years ago. I.eaI. a tirst time ol‘Icnder. \\ as sentenced to three- and-a-hall years in art open prison for (iBII with intent. but was released aI'ter IS months on a judge's recommendation. IIaying serycd his sentence. and complied lully with his probation order. he does not appear to pose a threat to the general public.
Diane Abbott. .\IP for IIacknC} North and Stoke Newington. and
8 THE LIST .‘z \‘.:.
I.eal‘s constituency .\IP. last week met with Minister oI‘ State I‘or Immigration. 'I‘ony .\lc.\'ulty. to discuss the situation. Abbott agrees that I.eal has been unt'airly caught tip in the Home ()l'l'ice‘s I‘rantic round up or I‘oreign criminals I'oIIowing the embarrassing recent episode in which more than I()()() l'oreign-born criminals were released without being seriously considered for deportation.
'I want to make sure that he will be held no longer than strictly necessary and that he is being held with good reason and not just to be made an e\ampIe ot.‘ she says. 'I haye receiyed hundreds ol' emails. letters and phone calls I'ronl concerned members or the public who are shocked at the decision to arrest and deport Iirnesto.‘
One particular concern to the family and I.ca|‘s supporters was that the Home Office had inexplicany proposed the (bile- born promoter be sent to Jamaica. I-‘oIIow ing her meeting with .\Ic.\'u|ty. Diane Abbott has reyeach that the department has conceded this to be a mistake. As yet no decision has yet been made on whether he will in fact be deported.
Abbott is now resoned to work closer With the family to press Ior Leal's immediate release. 'He has Iiy ed in this country for oyer 3() years
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and Regular DJ. Simon. All thin will be Juan Mark will, uh placa against the however. be augmented by uaua back d oi of cunt 0J1. Ma from hlrns. ahdca including Robart Kin ax andcartnona mfitém‘aw “Car-Imam "A um um in. C (I a l and Marta Ha tan, Cl!" ROFL 9309" nm‘ former DJ at Fire I: and: Schmidt!“ “3”
and is an established and Valued member of his local community. I haye receiyed letters or support from all sections ot‘ the community. Irom Iirnesto's immediate l'riends and family to Scottiin MPs and international playwrights.‘
Indeed. the list ot‘ Leal‘s supporters north or the border is growing by the day. As well as his friends Iryine Welsh. Malcolm Ross. a founder of the band Orange Juice. and actor 'I‘am Dean Bum. 'Iayside North MP Peter Wishart has tabled an Iiarly Day Motion at Westminster. to support limesto‘s release.
With the campaign gathering steam. concerned List readers are strongly encouraged to put pressure on their elected representatiycs to sign and support Wishart‘s motion. through the website wwwlriends oI‘ernesto.org.uk. As you read this. Iirnesto Leal will haye been incarcerated for more than three weeks with little or no clarity as to his crime. or his intended t'ate.
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‘In my worst nightmare I never saw a season like that. I didn’t expect the systematic resistance from the whole surroundings and to be hit from the back by different people and different organisations, especially from the referees.’
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‘When I’m on the front of a magazine, I sell more copies than Victoria Beckham does. I think that’s a massive achievement for doing nothing.’
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