Smoking ban landlord freed from jail
6:52pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in News By Julian Thorpe
A PUB landlord jailed for not paying fines imposed for defying the smoking ban has been freed — after a briefcase of cash was handed over by “Guy Fawkes”.
The anonymous benefactor, wearing a mask and wig, marched into Forest Bank prison with the money and emerged less than two hours later, having secured the freedom of Nick Hogan, the first person in the country to be jailed in relation to the smoking ban.
Mr Hogan, the former landlord of The Swan and Barristers in Bradshawgate, Bolton, was jailed for six months after failing to pay more than £10,000 in fines and costs.
The penalty was imposed by Bolton magistrates after he was found guilty of breaching the smoking ban in January, 2008, for allowing customers to smoke in his pub.
Freedom of choice campaigners raised the money to pay his fines in just five days.
The man with the money is an anonymous political blogger, known as Old Holborn.
He drove more than 200 miles from London to pay the cash directly to the custody officers at Forest Bank prison.
Mr Hogan, aged 43, of Hollinshead Street, Chorley, hugged his wife, Denise, as he emerged from jail, saying he had no regrets: “I didn’t fancy a two-week holiday at her majesty’s pleasure, but I still believe I’ve done the right thing.”
He thanked the people who raised the cash to release him and said he would celebrate with a cigarette and a bottle of beer.
Guy Fawkes imitator Old Holborn became involved in Mr Hogan’s case after a fellow anonymous blogger, France-based Anna Raccoon, started a campaign to raise the money following reports of his plight in the media.
The campaign gained weight with a Facebook group set up by Freedom to Choose, publicity from another political blogger, Guido Fawkes, and the support of pro-choice lobby group Forest.
