Kiwi jailed in Poland released on bail

The New Zealand man held in a Polish prison for over a year without a trial after the roof of a building owned by his employer collapsed, killing 65 people, has been granted bail.

Bruce Robinson's parents, Carol and Dave Robinson, of Pukekohe, were on top of the world after they received the news this morning.

Mr Robinson was arrested in February last year because the British company he worked for, Expomedia Group, bought shares in a Polish company, MTK, that had built what was later determined to be a structurally unsound function centre before he even joined the company.

When the roof of that building collapsed last year, killing 65 people, and injuring 140, the blame was put on Mr Robinson, as the CEO of the Polish branch of Expomedia.

Mr Robinson has been held on temporary arrest in ghastly conditions.

He has been imprisoned with eight other Polish men in a 15 sq m cell with one basin and one toilet.

His family has been doing everything possible to have him granted bail, including setting up an online petition.

The head office of Expomedia Group, phoned the Robinsons at 5.30am this morning to tell them he will be out of prison at the end of March.

"I'm speechless," says Mrs Robinson. "We're on top of the world."

Bruce's sister, Lyn Larsen who also lives in Pukekohe, is equally ecstatic. "It's a fantastic outcome - we're still in shock," she said.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman today confirmed Mr Robinson had been bailed.

Late last month, Mr Robinson's lawyer, Greg Slyszyk, said intervention from Prime Minister Helen Clark was the only hope he had of getting bail.

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters' said the Government position had not changed and included efforts to seek bail, but it would not seek to interfere in the judicial system in Poland.

Mr Robinson will have to stay in Poland, but he can live back in his apartment, go to work again, talk to his family anytime he wants, and have his children come and visit him.

His trial was supposed to have been held in November 2006, but it was put off until November this year.

Source:stuff.co.nz