Brit comedian facing 3 years in hellish Turkey prison for ‘shoplifting' after ‘accidentally' leaving Zara without paying
Cerys Nelmes, from Bristol, claims she absentmindedly wandered out of the shop with clothes before realising she hadn't paid.
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She says she went back to the store in Istanbul to return the items and offered to pay.
But despite this, she was detained and accused of shoplifting.
Nelmes, who is a rising name in the Bristol comedy scene, took to social media to explain the incident.
"On Tuesday I left a Zara store in Istanbul without paying for items," she said.
"I returned straight away and handed the items to staff. I was asked to pay and I said I would and the manager accepted this.
"To cut a long story short I was then taken to a locked room where hours later after no communication from anyone I was taken away by police and held in a police station and was asked to sign things I couldn't read.
"I 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 was brought before a judge the next day, who permitted her release but barred her from leaving Turkey.
She now faces a potential three-year prison sentence.
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The comedian is required to stay in the country while the incident is under investigation.
She has appealed to the public for support in the wake of the incident, fearing she might lose her home back in Britain.
The ongoing proceedings are leading to her losing work and income.
Nelmes has been unable to afford accommodation in Turkey given she had only come for a short holiday but now finds herself banned from leaving.
However, she was offered a place to stay by locals.
She added: "I am 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."
The British Embassy has confirmed it is offering support.
It comes after a British tourist was dragged out of a holiday bar and beaten by staff after allegedly refusing to pay a £460 drinks bill.
Footage from abar in Thailand 's Chiang Mai city shows the holidaymaker being manhandled.
The 26-year-old solo traveller was reportedly charged an inflated 20,000 baht - around £460 - for drinks at the Diamond Karaoke Bar.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Moment Brit comic Cerys Nelmes ‘shoplifts' from Zara after ‘forgetting clothes in bag' as she faces years in Turkey jail
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the moment Brit comic Cerys Nelmes allegedly walked out of a Zara store in Istanbul with £110 worth of clothes stuffed in her backpack — before insisting she had forgotten to pay for them. The 47-year-old mum-of-one from Bristol now faces up to three years in a Turkish prison after the July 22 incident, which she claims was a misunderstanding. 9 CCTV footage shows her browsing racks with hangers in her arms Credit: NewsX 9 The Brit insists she forgot to pay for the items Credit: NewsX 9 As she heads for the exit, she appears distracted by her phone Credit: NewsX 9 The Brit is then approached by a shop worker and brought back inside the store Credit: NewsX CCTV shows Nelmes browsing racks in a blue dress with an armful of hangers, while more clothes appear crammed into her white backpack. As she heads for the exit, she appears distracted by her phone, looking bemused as she steps through the doors. But instead of fleeing, she lingers outside the store still glued to her handset. Moments later, a Zara worker approaches and escorts her back inside. Nelmes told her followers: "On Tuesday I left a Zara store in Istanbul without paying for items. "I returned straight away and handed the items to staff. "I was asked to pay and I said I would and the manager accepted this." Despite her insistence she offered to pay, the comic said she was suddenly ushered into a locked room. "To cut a long story short I was then taken to a locked room where hours later after no communication from anyone I was taken away by police and held in a police station and was asked to sign things I couldn't read," Nelmes explained. Brit facing 3 years in hellish Turkey prison for 'shoplifting' after leaving Zara without paying The Brit performer claims she was thrown into a filthy cell for 24 hours 'with no food or toilet facilities. When I asked for water, I was told they didn't understand me.' The next day, she was brought before a judge who freed her on probation but slapped her with a travel ban. That means she's now trapped in Turkey while police continue investigating the alleged shoplifting — a charge that carries a possible three-year jail term. The ordeal has left Nelmes, a rising star on the Bristol comedy circuit, stranded without money or work. She had only been on a short break and now fears she could lose her home back in the UK. 9 The 47-year-old mum-of-one now faces three years in a Turkish jail Credit: Newsflash 9 Picture shows Cerys Nelmes Instagram story Credit: Newsflash 9 The British Embassy has confirmed it is offering support Credit: Newsflash Nelmes said: "I am 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." Friends and fans have flooded her social media with messages of support, while the British Embassy confirmed it is offering assistance. A police probe remains ongoing. It follows shocking scenes in Thailand where a Brit tourist was hauled out of a bar and beaten by staff after allegedly refusing to cough up a £460 drinks bill. Footage from the Diamond Karaoke Bar shows the 26-year-old solo traveller being forcefully manhandled. Reports claim he'd been hit with an inflated charge of 20,000 baht — around £460 — for his drinks. 9 Nelmes claims she is stranded in Turkey without money or work Credit: Newsflash
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Moment Brit comic Cerys Nelmes ‘shoplifts' from Zara after ‘forgetting clothes in bag' as she faces years in Turkey jail
THIS is the moment Brit comic Cerys Nelmes allegedly walked out of a Zara store in Istanbul with £110 worth of clothes stuffed in her backpack. The 47-year-old mum now faces up to three years in a Turkish prison after the July 22 incident, which she claims was a misunderstanding after insisting she forgot to pay for the items. 9 9 9 9 CCTV shows Nelmes browsing racks in a blue dress with an armful of hangers, while more clothes appear crammed into her white backpack. As she heads for the exit, she appears distracted by her phone, looking bemused as she steps through the doors. But instead of fleeing, she lingers outside the store still glued to her handset. Moments later, a Zara worker approaches and escorts her back inside. Nelmes, from Bristol, told her followers: "On Tuesday I left a Zara store in Istanbul without paying for items. "I returned straight away and handed the items to staff. "I was asked to pay and I said I would and the manager accepted this." Despite her insistence she offered to pay, the comic said she was suddenly ushered into a locked room. "To cut a long story short I was then taken to a locked room where hours later after no communication from anyone I was taken away by police and held in a police station and was asked to sign things I couldn't read," Nelmes explained. Brit facing 3 years in hellish Turkey prison for 'shoplifting' after leaving Zara without paying The Brit performer claims she was thrown into a filthy cell for 24 hours 'with no food or toilet facilities. When I asked for water, I was told they didn't understand me.' The next day, she was brought before a judge who freed her on probation but slapped her with a travel ban. That means she's now trapped in Turkey while police continue investigating the alleged shoplifting — a charge that carries a possible three-year jail term. The ordeal has left Nelmes, a rising star on the Bristol comedy circuit, stranded without money or work. She had only been on a short break and now fears she could lose her home back in the UK. 9 9 9 Nelmes said: "I am 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." Friends and fans have flooded her social media with messages of support, while the British Embassy confirmed it is offering assistance. A police probe remains ongoing. It follows shocking scenes in Thailand where a Brit tourist was hauled out of a bar and beaten by staff after allegedly refusing to cough up a £460 drinks bill. Footage from the Diamond Karaoke Bar shows the 26-year-old solo traveller being forcefully manhandled. Reports claim he'd been hit with an inflated charge of 20,000 baht — around £460 — for his drinks. 9 9
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Moment Brit comedian 'accidentally shoplifts' seen on CCTV before she's arrested
Cerys Nelmes, a stand-up comic from Bristol, claims that she accidentally walked out of a Zara shop in Turkey without paying for her items - but quickly returned after realising her error This is the moment a British comedian leaves a Zara shop without paying - before she's arrested. Cerys Nelmes is facing three years behind bars after being accused of stealing clothes from a branch of Zara in Istanbul, Turkey on July 22. Mum-of-one Cerys, from Bristol, has been banned from leaving the country while police investigate the store's claims. Footage shows Cerys wearing a blue dress as she browses around the shop with an armful of clothes on hangers and other items in her backpack. Later footage shows her leaving the store clearly distracted by her phone and, according to her, forgetting that there were items in her white backpack she hadn't paid for. She is then seen standing just outside the shop, still on her phone, as a Zara staff member walks over and asks her and another woman to go back inside before the police were called, NewsX report. Cerys says she returned to the store without argument over the forgotten 6,000 lira (£110)-worth of clothing still in her backpack. But she told her social media followers she was then detained and locked in a room for hours with no explanation. From there, she was taken to a police station and said she was pressured to sign documents in a language she could not read. She was released on probation by a judge after 24 hours in a holding cell, allegedly with no food, water or loo. She has since been released but has been forbidden from leaving the country and is being put up by a local family as she does not have the money for an extended stay. The police investigation is ongoing. "I was told they didn't understand me," said Nelmes. The next day, she was brought before a judge who released her but banned her from leaving the country. She now faces a potential three-year sentence as the case proceeds. Ms Nelmes says she is stranded in Turkey, unable to afford accommodation and missing out on work back home, putting her and her son at risk of losing their UK home. She said: "I'm ok and have been taken in by a Turkish family who gave me food and a bed. I don't deserve all the kind words from people but I am very grateful." On her website it states of her career: "Cerys has worked very hard to forge a strong career in the comedy industry. She is a leading mc on the comedy circuit, working for major UK clubs and UK charity events. Cerys has a fantastic stage presence and her audience interaction is flawless." Recounting what happened, she said that she had left the store with several items of clothing before realising her error. Despite returning to the store, claiming she had returned the items and wanted to pay, Nelmes was seized for shoplifting. The stand-up, explained the incident in a social media post saying: "On Tuesday I left a Zara store in Istanbul without paying for items. "I returned straight away and handed the items to staff. I was asked to pay and I said I would and the manager accepted this. To cut a long story short I was then taken to a locked room where hours later after no communication from anyone I was taken away by police and held in a police station and was asked to sign things I couldn't read. "I 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. 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. "I appeared before the judge and was told by a translator that I was released, but unable to leave Turkey for an undetermined amount of time. He said I was lucky to not be put in prison but I currently face up to three years. I have to report to a local police station every Monday. "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. "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."
