A man who caused years of misery for his neighbours in Heanor and Nottinghamshire has been deported, thanks to the tenacious efforts of a Derbyshire investigator.
Czech national Robert Hokr had been sentenced to three years in prison for fraud in the Czech Republic in 1999 but fled to the UK to escape jail – leading to a warrant for his arrest being issued by Czech police.
The 56-year-old came to the attention of UK police in 2019, when he was first reported for harassment of his neighbours on Claramount Road, Heanor, leaving them fearing for their lives.
Checks revealed that he was wanted in the Czech Republic, but a judge ruled that he could not be deported due to the length of time that had passed since his conviction.
Not to be deterred, International Liaison Officer Rachael Blood was determined to pursue the case, and over the next five years, Hokr was dealt with for continuing to threaten and harass both his neighbours and the police in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
When Hokr was eventually jailed for breaching a restraining order against Nottinghamshire Police in January this year, Rachael knew her moment had come.
Thanks to her tenacity, Hokr was removed from the country – with Czech authorities ready to meet him when his plane landed.
Rachael said: “Once he was in police custody, I knew I could get him transferred to an immigration removal centre – but, as has been the case every step of the way, this was not as easy as it may have first appeared.
“Hokr didn’t have a passport, and you still need ID even to be deported, so I spoke to the police liaison officer at the Czech Embassy. I basically said, ‘You want him, we’ve got him – and we want him out of the country.’
“I couldn’t believe it when a package arrived for me the next day; it was a handwritten Czech passport which basically gave us a month to make sure Hokr was on a flight out of the UK.
“I knew that meant that immigration would need to process things quickly, so I made sure I was checking in with them and they were aware we were working to a deadline.”
Explaining why she was so determined to see Hokr removed from the UK – and ensure that justice was served back in his home country – Rachael said: “I really believe that everyone should be able to live in their home and not feel scared. It made me so angry to hear how some of his neighbours had been forced to sell their homes to get away from his awful behaviour. It just wasn’t right, and I was determined not to let it go.
“It was great joint working between the force, Immigration Services, and the Czech authorities to finally have him removed. Hokr was escorted off his plane by police, which is fantastic – and he is now serving his sentence in the Czech Republic, as he should be.”
A spokesperson from the Czech Embassy said: “This is another example of long-lasting successful cooperation between Derbyshire Constabulary’s International Liaison Office and the Police of the Czech Republic. Despite the fact that a UK court denied Hokr’s extradition in 2022, both agencies continued to find another way to bring this fugitive to justice. The Czech police very much appreciate the support received from their Derbyshire colleagues.”
Hokr is also banned from re-entering the UK and will not be granted a visa when he is released from prison.
Rachael is part of Derbyshire Constabulary’s International Liaison Office, a team of officers and staff dedicated to cases with links to other countries. Their specialist expertise and contacts mean the force can act on foreign intelligence, working closely with immigration and foreign forces to ensure that there are no borders when it comes to dealing with criminals.
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