Political prisoner Sam Melia barred from access to his children – a new low for British ‘justice’
Sam Melia, Yorkshire organiser of Patriotic Alternative, who is presently serving a two year prison sentence for the ‘crime’ of distributing anti-immigration stickers via Telegram, has now been told that he is no longer allowed contact with his children.
This decision has been made not by a court, but by the prison authorities at HMP Hull, in collaboration with bureaucrats from the National Probation Service. Sam was moved from Leeds prison to Hull two weeks ago.
As many H&D readers will know, Sam and his wife Laura Towler (deputy leader of PA) have a two-year-old daughter Catherine, and a month-old baby Violet.
There has never been any suggestion that the ‘crimes’ for which Sam was convicted have any connection to children in any way; nor has he ever even been charged with any offence relating to children. Even Sam’s worst enemies would concede that he has been a loyal and hard-working father.
But the prison and probation authorities have now decided – for entirely political reasons – to classify Sam as a Person Posing Risk to Children (PPRC).
When asked the reasons for this wicked lie, the authorities admit they do “not state he poses a direct risk of serious harm to children, but by the child/ren being exposed to posters, insignia, literature and attitudes assessed as racist and offensive.”
Remember, this is a man who is in a prison cell in Hull, where quite obviously he has no access to “racist and offensive” material. Moreover, no reasonable person could imagine that a two-year-old child and a one-month-old baby could be influenced (for good or ill) by political material, whether “racist” or of any other kind.
But the authorities’ ukase bars Sam from being visited by his infant children; receiving phone calls or photographs from them; or even from receiving news about them from his wife (or from anyone else).
As Laura wrote yesterday on the PA website:
“These restrictions are complete overkill for a ‘criminal’ such as Sam and amount to nothing more than the political persecution of a loving father and husband. Sam is heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to see his children and although our newborn baby has no idea what’s going on, our toddler is confused as to why she’s no longer allowed to see or talk to her daddy.”
Due to having been identified as a ‘PPRC’, Sam will automatically be subjected to these appalling restrictions until an ‘assessment’ of his case is carried out by prison and probation bureaucrats. This process has now started, and to begin with Sam had to complete forms for each of his children, explaining why he believed he was entitled to be in contact with them.
As Laura points out, they now have to wait for the bureaucracy to grind out its judgment, which could take weeks or months. “This means that Sam will miss out on maintaining a strong relationship with our toddler, building a relationship with our newborn baby, and our children will miss out on seeing and speaking with their dad.”
H&D encourages our readers to contact HMP Hull, explaining why Sam Melia’s treatment is an outrage to all normal standards of justice and decency. Please use polite language despite the provocation!
The prison governor, Mr Shaun Mycroft, can be contacted either by email at candc.hull@justice.gov.uk or by post at the following address:
Complaints and Correspondence Hull
HMP Hull
Hedon Road
Hull
HU9 5LS
As with any correspondence referring to Sam Melia’s case, please quote his prison number: A3370FC.
Readers should also be aware that on 9th June, Sam will be celebrating his 35th birthday – behind bars, and now without access to his children (or even to news about his children).
Birthday cards can be sent to Sam at the following address:
Samuel Melia
A3370FC
HMP Hull
Hedon Road
Hull
HU9 5LS
We would also encourage all readers who have not already done so, to sign the Free Sam Melia petition which is online here.
Number 10/ONS petitioned to include Ethnic English box on 2011 census form
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to urgently request of the Office of National Statistics (ONS) that it amends the proposed 2011 census form by providing a tick-box for those who want to record their identity as English. The proposed census form finds room for such a tick-box for ‘Gypsy or Irish Traveller’ but not for the ethnic English!
The ONS in dealing with the English in the draft 2011 census form seems to be confusing ‘national identity’ with ‘ethnic identity’. This is a serious matter as unless the ethnic English have the same statistical information available to them as is available to other ethnic groups, the English will be hindered in their attempts to challenge and end the institutionalised and other forms of racism perpetuated against them.
