Oil firm whistleblower trapped in Croatian holiday

Oil firm whistleblower trapped in Croatian holiday hell


In other circumstances, Jonathan Taylor would be living the dream. Who could say no to an extended stay in the ancient city of Dubrovnik, without
the hordes of tourists who normally interfere with the experience?

But for the British lawyer-turned-whistleblower, his time on the Croatian coast is more of a Kafkaesque nightmare. He was arrested on arrival in July -
and has been stuck in Dubrovnik ever since, while the few other tourists who made it to the city this summer are long gone.

"All the hotels are empty now," he says. "It's like a ghost town."

Mr Taylor believes his involuntary stay in Dubrovnik is the price for exposing corruption in the international oil industry.

He spent nine years working in Monaco for SBM Offshore, a Dutch multinational company that provides services to the offshore oil and gas industry.
But in 2012 he blew the whistle on corrupt practices - providing evidence about bribes being offered to government officials in return for lucrative
contracts.

SBM Offshore eventually agreed to a then-record $240m (£186m) settlement with the Dutch authorities. It paid a similar sum to settle a case in
the US.

And in Brazil, Mr Taylor's evidence contributed to a massive scandal surrounding oil company Petrobras.

Mr Taylor returned to the UK and family life in Southampton with his wife, Cindy, and their three children. But that was rudely interrupted by police
acting on an Interpol "red notice" when they arrived in Dubrovnik for a holiday.



Monaco's extradition request - based on allegations of "bribery and corruption" - was quashed by Croatia's Supreme Court last week.
But the judgement directed the Dubrovnik court to ask UK authorities for a European Arrest Warrant, which would take precedence over Monaco's
request.

Mr Taylor is not facing any charges in the UK. Indeed, he says he is providing evidence to ongoing investigations by the Serious Fraud Office.
So that route home would appear to be blocked. But Mr Taylor says he is still hoping for a British intervention.

"They could inform the authorities here that I should be returned home as I am a protected witness and whistleblower, and there are EU laws
protecting such people."

For now, Mr Taylor is spending his days walking as much as 10km (six miles) around the deserted Dubrovnik cobbles. Evenings are spent in a bedsit.

Touched by his plight, the hotel he had originally booked for his family had been providing him with breakfast every morning. But now it has closed
for the winter.

His wife has at least been able to join her husband this week. But she says the family are desperate to see him back in the UK.

"We are very proud of him. But our lives are in tatters - the children all worry and can't understand why this is happening to us when he's done
the right thing. We just want him home."

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