British comedian faces years in Turkish jail cell after ‘forgetting to pay’ at Zara store
A British comedian, who walked out of a Zara store without paying before returning and apologising for her mistake, is facing up to three years in Turkish prison.
Stand-up comic, Cerys Nelmes, from the Cotswolds, was shopping in Istanbul on July 22 when she accidentally left before paying for the items.
Nelmes claims to have returned to the store to hand back the items and offered to pay.
However, she was instead detained, locked in a room for hours without any explanation before being arrested for shoplifting.
Nelmes added that she was taken to a police station, pressured to sign documents in a language she could not read as well as being held in a cell for 24 hours without food, a toilet or water.
She said: “I was told they didn’t understand me.”
While being released by a judge in court the next day, she was barred from leaving Turkey and faces a potential three-year sentence if convicted.
The comic, who once appeared in medical drama Casualty, said she is stranded in Turkey as she is unable to afford accommodation.
Nelmes said she is losing work opportunities and fears the decision could cost her the family home.
In an Instagram story, Nelmes said: “I’m ok and have been taken in by a Turkish family who have given me a bed and food. I don’t deserve all the kind words from people but I am very grateful xxx”.
Addressing the situation on social media, Nelmes said: “On Tuesday I left a Zara store in Istanbul without paying for items.”
“I returned straight away and handed the items to staff,” she said.
“I was asked to pay and I said I would and the manager accepted this.”
Nelmes said to “cut the story short” she was then taken to a “locked room”.
“Where for hours later after no communication from anyone I was taken away by police and held in a police station,” she added.
“(I) was asked to sign things I couldn’t read.”
The comedian claimed she was “put in a prison cell for 24 hours with no food or toilet facilities”.
“When I asked for water, I was told they didn’t understand me,” Nelmes added.
“I was handcuffed and taken for fingerprints and mugshots at 3am. I was handcuffed and taken to court the following day and put in a cell.”
She was then told by a translator that she was going to be released after being put before a judge.
Nelmes said she was told she could not “leave Turkey for an undetermined amount of time”.
“He said I was lucky not to be put in prison but I currently face up to three years,” she continued.
Nelmes said she had to report to police every Monday, adding that, “I am lucky I have good friends in Turkey who are currently looking after me, and trying to translate the paperwork”.
“I have no money, no earnings coming in from home, and I am running out of important medication. I will lose my home which I share with my son, and livelihood,” the comedian said.
“I am not looking for sympathy. I made a mistake which I tried to immediately rectify. I am embarrassed for my friends, my family, and I have made my 78-year-old mum unwell. I will never forgive myself for what I have done.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said “we are providing support to a British national in Turkey”.
GB News has contacted Zara for comment.