ISTANBUL: A British father-of-five has recalled 45 days of horror he suffered after being detained in Turkey over some ancient coins his children found while on holiday.
Toby Robyns, 53, an ambulance driver from West Sussex, has told how he was locked up alongside Mafiosos and ISIS terrorists at the notorious Mugla prison.
At one point he was forced into a ‘fight to the death’ against a 17st inmate dubbed The Executioner, he says. Mr Robyns was released in October after Turkish authorities decided to give him a suspended sentence. Now safely back in Shoreham with his wife Heidi and their children Baxter, eight, and 10-year-old Brody, Mr Robyns told of his ordeal.
He says he feared for his life among lags who spent their time screaming and crying late into the night.
Toby says he lost 2st during the harrowing 42-day ordeal and woke in shock and horror to find a fellow lag hanging. He bribed guards with cigarettes so they would return his wedding ring and watch.
Explaining his fight against The Executioner, he said: ‘One night I was escorted out by guards and pushed into a small room. ‘There were no cameras and they locked the door. A prisoner who they called The Executioner was standing in the corner. ‘He had arranged a fight to the death Gladiator-style because I had sung God Save the Queen over his shouting one night.
‘He was part of the Georgian mafia and had shot a policeman in the head.’ Toby feared he had ‘no chance’ against the prisoner, who was over 6ft and pushing 17st. But a survival instinct kicked in.
