French taxi driver charged with theft after Lammy dispute

French constabulary person charged a taxi operator with stealing luggage and currency from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his woman Nicola Green.

The operator allegedly sped disconnected with the couple's luggage aft a enactment implicit a fare for the 360-mile travel from Forli, successful Italy, to the French skis edifice of Flaine, successful Haute-Savoie.

The operator insisted helium was owed 700 euros (£590) successful currency for portion of the travel not covered by an upfront outgo to a booking service.

But the Foreign Office said successful a connection the fare had been paid successful afloat earlier they acceptable disconnected connected their backstage holiday.

The mates had decided to instrumentality a backstage vacation successful France aft spending 3 days connected a authorities sojourn to Italy with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Sources accidental they arranged their ain transport, astatine their ain expense, done booking institution getTransfer.com.

The taxi operator had a enactment with Ms Green earlier driving disconnected with their luggage to a constabulary station, wherever helium made a complaint.

According to French paper la Provence, an probe into a "commercial dispute" was opened by the Bonneville prosecutor's bureau successful Haute-Savoie.

A subordinate of the overseas secretary's bureau contacted the operator to get the luggage back, and it was allegedly deposited astatine a constabulary presumption with a "considerable" sum of wealth missing from Ms Green's bag, thought to beryllium equivalent to the magnitude the operator believed was owed to him.

Bonneville authoritative Boris Duffau told the BBC the taxi operator has been charged with theft.

"An probe has been opened pursuing a disagreement regarding the outgo of a taxi thrust betwixt Italy and France," said Mr Duffau.

"After an probe by French police, the Bonneville prosecutor's bureau has decided to prosecute the taxi operator who has been summoned to look astatine the Bonneville tribunal connected 3 November 2025.

"He has been charged with theft (of luggage and cash) to the detriment of Nicola Green and David Lindon Lammy."

Mr Duffau aboriginal told the AFP quality bureau the operator had been "placed nether judicial supervision with a driving prohibition and a 2,000 euro (£1,690) bail".

From a "commercial quality calved of a misunderstanding, the code surely roseate and, aft investigation, the prosecutor's bureau deemed it due to authorities that the taxi driver's mentation was not proven", dissimilar that of the minister, added Mr Duffau.

The operator told the BBC Lammy should person paid much than a modular fare due to the fact that helium is simply a British authorities minister, making the travel much "risky".

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told the BBC determination were nary delicate documents oregon laptops successful the car and the overseas caput had been travelling connected his ain idiosyncratic passport, alternatively than a diplomatic one.

The FCDO powerfully disputes the taxi driver's mentation of events.

A spokesperson said: "The fare was paid successful full.

"The overseas caput and his woman are named arsenic victims successful this substance and the operator has been charged with theft.

"As determination is an ongoing ineligible process, it would beryllium inappropriate to remark further."