British holiday couple jailed and separated from their children after being caught with 1,000 fake cash in Turkey

The couple, from Nottingham, have not been formally charged, but are being investigated by police for possession of about £1,000 in fake £20 notes after they had tried to cash £100 at a bureau de change in Altinkum – a popular holiday hotspot for British families on the Aegean Riviera on Turkey’s West Coast.

Heads bowed, the Bonnington's are taken from court

 The family’s nightmare began on Saturday when they flew in for a week's holiday at their newly-built three-bed apartment on the Apollon Holiday Village complex, in Altinkum.

The couple had spent less then 24 hours in their new home before they were in the arms of the police after they tried to cash up £100 at the money exchange on Sunday. After being told the money was fake, they went to a nearby bar where they were picked up by police and taken into custody.

 A search of their apartment led to the discovery of a total of £3,000 – of which police have said £780 is fake – due to the notes bearing the same serial numbers. The rest of the cash has been sent to Istanbul for tests to establish whether that is genuine.

Steven Bonnington takes advice from defence solicitor Ali Ihsan Aktimur

 
The couple were kept overnight in police cells on Monday and released, but were then back before the courts in Altinkum the following day. A public prosecutor ordered their detention in state prisons for several more days.
 
Mr and Mrs Bonnington, who protested their innocence, were left visibly shocked when they learned they would have to leave their children in the company of friends of the family.

Mr Bonnington has been remanded in custody at Soke Prison, about an hour’s drive from Altinkum. The prison holds murderers, rapists and common criminals among its inmate population.
 
Mrs Bonnington has been taken to Aydin Women’s Prison – two hours from Altinkum. Both are believed to be the first Westerners to be detained at the prisons.
 
As they waited to hear whether they would be released on bail or detained further, Mr Bonnington revealed that part of the cash he had brought across had been the proceeds of a private sale – about £1,100 which he had kept for their dream holiday.

He said: 'We fully appreciate the police have to investigate this matter, and we have fully co-operated. But we are completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Do you think I would put our family through this?
 
'This was supposed to be our dream holiday. It has turned into an utter nightmare.'
 
When the court reached its decision on detaining the parents, the family broke down in tears.

Mrs Bonnington said: 'I just cannot believe this is happening. I am being asked to leave my two children in the hands of friends. This is completely unbelievable. 
 
'It is just surreal as I have never been branded a criminal before. There is a completely legitimate reason and the Turkish police are seeing us as criminals.

'We have not done anything wrong. We would not even contemplate breaking any law, particularly in Turkey. We love the culture and the people, so why would we breach their trust in such a way?

'We thought we would be half-an-hour to get this settled with the police and move on from there. But they have now taken all our money. I am more concerned about my kids and what will happen to them.
 
'They are very precious and the reality still has not sunk in that I won’t be able to see them. I can’t eat or sleep with all the worry about this case. And our worst fears have been confirmed.'
 
Before they left for prison, the couple contacted their families in England and it seems the children will be allowed to fly back this Saturday in the company of British Consulate staff who have since been alerted to the family’s fate.
 
The couple has pledged to report the fake money incident to British police when they are released and allowed to return back home.
 
Defence solicitor Ali Ihsan Aktimur said: 'If you are caught with fake money in Turkey, whether you are innocent or not, it is up to you to prove that you are not guilty.

'We will be working hard to get the parents released early and the family back together again.'