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Channel Tunnel 'walker' Abdul Haroun to face trial

A Sudanese man – who has been granted asylum in Britain – WILL have to face a trial about his alleged walk through the Channel Tunnel from France.

Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, was arrested in August last year in Folkestone but on Christmas Eve was given permission to stay in the UK and granted bail.

Today, Canterbury Crown Court’s resident judge, Adele Williams threw out a claim from his lawyers that there had been “an abuse of process”.

The Longport entrance at the Channel Tunnel. Picture: Google
The Longport entrance at the Channel Tunnel. Picture: Google

Haroun is charged with causing an obstruction to an engine or carriage using the railway under the Malicious Damage Act 1861 – which carries a maximum two year prison sentence.

He is believed to have walked almost the entire length of the 31-mile Eurotunnel from Calais where trains travel up to 160kph.

Lawyers for Haroun – who had been held in Elmley Prison from August until December- applied for bail after the Home Office announced its decision to allow him to stay.

The application was not opposed by Philip Bennetts QC for the CPS.

Last month Judge Williams heard legal arguments from lawyers about whether or not to halt the the prosecution.

Today she dismissed the application and allowed the Crown Prosecution Service to continue with the trial process.

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