Dear Mary…
Q. I don’t know whether you can help me but I thought it worth a try. About 15 years ago, I was charged, while on holiday in Australia, with a very minor offence which I felt was quite unjustified, and did not feel disposed to cancel my flight three days later and wait to appeal in court more than two weeks later. (I might also have lost my job, if I was three weeks’ late home.) I would now like to visit Australia again and am wondering if I will be turned back at the airport and/or charged with the original alleged offence and/or arraigned for skipping the country. I have recently been granted a visa to visit the country but this may not mean I won’t be arrested. If you are unable to answer this question, perhaps you would advise me as to how I might proceed as I have twice tried to phone the Australian High Commission but only managed to talk to a machine.
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