Sir, I am surprised that Hampshire Constabulary, in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, concluded that it was necessary to seek a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) in the case of Ashya King.
The EAW requires prima facie evidence and cannot be used for the purpose of obtaining further evidence by questioning in order to allow a subsequent charging decision to be made.
Every country within the EU has domestic legislation that allows local police to take a child who is at risk to a place of safety — in this case, a hospital. If the parents of such a child obstruct the officer in the execution of his or her duty, they can be arrested and the matter dealt with via local laws and procedures.
To withdraw an EAW after its execution undermines the integrity of the system. Further arrest requests from the UK in serious cases may be refused, rejected or delayed while overseas authorities seek additional assurances before taking action.
In this case, the CPS and Hampshire police are now exposed to possible legal proceedings and compensation claims by the family. Knowledge of the powers and capabilities of the European judiciary and overseas law enforcement agencies would have avoided this situation.
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Ken Pandolfi (Former head of UK National Central Bureau of Interpol) Long Crendon, Bucks