When Dennis and I arrived at Heston it was to discover that the buyer had not yet arrived so Robert, Mark, Dennis and myself went in to the restaurant and had a cup of coffee and a burger. After this the buyer had still not arrived, we returned to the cars so I could give Robert the check for the staff wages and he and Dennis could head home. At this point we were completely surrounded by men who identified themselves as police officers, the cars were then searched. In my car (Blue) they found the paintings, my briefcase and Robert’s jacket, nothing else. At this point I would like to say that with the amount of men used in this operation a mouse would have found it difficult to get out but Mark Hughes managed to escape! How?

Robert and Dennis Rother and myself were all arrested and taken to Hounslow Police Station where we were placed in the cells. At this point none of us were given the opportunity to make a phone call or contact a solicitor. Some 0ne and a half hours after arriving at the station 2 police officers escorted me to my car (the Blue one) which had been hired to Mark Hughes. They then showed me a Johnson's Baby Lotion bottle which they say contained Ammonia and was found in my car. This bottle was sent to forensics for the liquid inside to be tested but it was not checked for fingerprints, why not?

Later that evening DS Morrison asked me how to contact my Manageress to gain access to my shop to search it, I gave him her phone number and that was that. After I got bail and contacted my Manageress she informed me that he had searched the shop and taken away a number of items to be used in a criminal hearing, including 3 A4 diaries and shop receipts and other documents. Neither DS Morrison or any of the other officers involved in the search gave my Manageress a receipt for these items, although she asked for one repeatedly her request was refused.