Troubles, Trials and Travels: Three London Boroughs, Old Bailey, the KGB and Me

I can remember, as a child of about ten years old, standing in the school playground wondering what life had in store for me. Little did I know then - and how could I ever have imagined - that after working in senior positions for some of the larger left - wing London Borough Councils, I would find myself working in Russia with my own KGB minders while my house in England was watched day and night by the Special Branch, or even the KGb, for a period of well over two years. Again, I could never have imagined, even in my worst nightmares, becoming the subject of international press interest after suddenly and publicly arrested, accused of corruption and sent for trial at the 'Old Bailey' - just weeks after I had relinquished my position as Chielf Building Surveyor for the London Borough of Camden and sold my house in preparation for my family of six to emigrate and start a new life in New Zealand. It is said that four events in life are the most stressful: changing one's job, moving house, emigrating abroad and getting divorced - and we were experiencing the first three concurrently.