Sarah Groves' parents to meet with UK minister
SARAH GROVES' parents will meet with the UK minister responsible for Asia Pacific Affairs at the end of April.
Miss Groves' father, Vic, confirmed the meeting was due to take place on 25 April with Mark Field MP.
It has been organised by the Foreign Office following Miss Groves' family's attempts to involve the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, by way of an online petition, which now has almost 16,000 signatures.
The news comes after yet another 'wasted day' in the trial of the man accused of her murder, Richard de Wit.
Yesterday's hearing was the 115th to take place and while the accused was present in custody, the defence counsel was not as lawyers were on strike. The prosecutor was also not present and no witnesses turned up.
'Another wasted day with the benefit of fast-tracking completely lost due to a lawyers’ strike and the witness failing to show up yet again,' said Mr Groves.
'Today’s events typify the frustrations that have been experienced throughout this trial.
'Fortunately, a great deal of work has been going on in the background to persuade the Kashmiri legal authorities, even at this late stage, to treat the trial with the respect and gravitas it merits.'
In the past two weeks Guernsey's minister for external affairs, Jonathan Le Tocq, held a successful meeting in London with His Excellency the High Commissioner for India, Mr Groves added.
The next trial date is scheduled for 11 April.
