(Picture from: www.simonbutlerskiing.com)
The British ski instructor Simon Butler will find out on June 16th if he is likely to face jail for ski teaching illegally in France.
At a court hearing last week the prosecutor in the case called for Mr Butler to be sentenced to a year in jail (with eight months suspended) and to pay a 10,000 Euro fine. The court will announce its verdict in June.
The case has sharply divided opinions with The French authorities accused of protectionism but arguing that the prosecution is about maintaining standards, and that the same rules apply to French instructors, and pointing out that many British instructors do meet the standard required.
Mr Butler runs a small tour operator business and has been teaching clients how to ski in the French Alps for more than 30 years, some of his staff also face fines. He has the highest British qualifications but does not hold the required Eurotest certification required for him to teach legally in France. Mr Butler argues that the requirement for him to have Eurotest qualification flouts EC equal opportunities laws, the French prosecutor says it does not.
Mr Butler has been arrested three times in the past 10 years over this issue and previously been fined. He was most recently arrested this season, but the current court case dates back to a previous arrest last season.
Mr Butler says if found guilty he will move his business, which is reported to employ around 20 people and claims a 91% return rate among its loyal client base, to Switzerland. It is unclear as yet if he willing or able to continue the case to a higher court to fully test his belief regarding his rights under European law if found guilty.
BASI, the British ski instructors association, have not backed Mr Butler.
In other developments in the ongoing string of legal cases regarding teaching, hosting and guiding by the British in France
There are also unconfirmed reported that a Ski Club of Great Britain Ski Leader, who perform similar 'hosting' duties in France to those offered by British tour operators which were curtailed at the end of last season with the arrest of tour operator Le Ski's staff, has been stopped and questioned at a French resort but these are as yet unconfirmed.
The Le Ski case is also due to be heard in the next month or so.