Extraordinary that this could have happened.
The 59-year-old is now being hunted by police after he failed to appear in court to be sentenced for fraud.
He is believed to have fled the UK and may be seeking work as a pilot or flying instructor, police said.
Fay, a former US Air Force pilot, had worked for Afriqiyah Airways – the Libyan national carrier, and made eight landings at Gatwick between June 1, 2010 until he was arrested on February 3, 2011.
He could still be flying passengers somewhere….
Steven
By: chornedsnorkack - 13th May 2013 at 07:29
Yes, a pilot operating an international flight operates in airports of the 2 countries connected, and perhaps also the airspace of the countries oveflown (as in this case). And if an obvious criminal is discovered, it is reasonable for any country where he or she is found to detain him or her.
But since the said pilot was defrauding the state of Libya, getting salary in Libya, flying on Libyan flagged planes subject to Libyan civil aviation authorities and breaching Libyan civil aviation regulations, surely he should have been extradited to Libya for trial and punishment?
By: Scouse - 12th May 2013 at 14:04
I would imagine that somewhere within the Civil Aviation Act 1982 is a clause allowing him to be prosecuted as a UK resident who has flown passenger-carrying services into UK airports without the appropriate licence. Also perhaps a straightforward case of obtaining money by deception (ie his salary) from his employers, the offence having taken place in UK airspace.
By: chornedsnorkack - 12th May 2013 at 11:30
What standing does Ukogbani have to prosecute him?
By: MSR777 - 11th May 2013 at 19:21
A chilling thought! Almost as chilling as flying Afriqiya as a passenger.
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May 11, 2013 at 7:10 pm