A British father-of four has been locked up in an Egyptian prison after allegedly patting an airport security guard on the back.
Tony Cammocio, 51, has spent five days in jail in Hurghada without charge and his family and friends are desperate for news.
They have claimed he was kept in handcuffs the first night and initially given no food or water in his cell.
A friend told MailOnline the father-of-four was facing a false charge of sexual assault and could be detained for another two weeks while police investigate.
In a statement, he said: ‘He is completely innocent and have been kept in inhuman conditions.
‘He has four children and a loving wife and many friends. We need this man, his wife and his son to come back home.’
Tony Camoccio (above) a British father-of four has been locked up in an Egyptian prison after allegedly patting an airport security guard on the back
The 51-year-old has spent five days in jail in Hurghada without charge and his family and friends are desperate for news. It is claimed he has he was kept in handcuffs overnight and initially given no food or water in his cell
The nightmare started when Mr Camoccio, from Sutton in Surrey, flew with his wife Joan from the UK to Egypt for a family holiday with friends.
They were heading to the popular resort of Hurghada on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, an area renowned for endless sandy, beaches, scuba diving on coral reefs and vibrant nightlife.
As he passed through airport security, he received the standard pat down by a guard and, according to his family, patted the officer on the back.
But the airport official is thought to have taken exception to the Briton’s ‘friendly gesture’ and police moved in, quickly shipping Mr Cammocio off to a prison cell.
He was expected to be released on Sunday but officers have now told the family members they need another 15 days to investigate the case.
More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the release of Mr Camoccio, who is a regular visitor to Hurghada, 250 miles south east of Egypt’s capital, Cairo.
A long-standing family friend said: ‘He was at the final checkpoint where he was patted down by a security officer. Tony then gently patted the officers back, and is now facing serious accusations.
The nightmare started when Mr Camoccio, from Sutton in Surrey, flew with his wife Joan from the UK to Hurghada for a family holiday with friends. As he passed through security, he was patted down by a guard and, according to his family, patted the officer on the back
More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the release of Mr Camoccio, who is a regular visitor to Hurghada, 250 miles south east of Egypt’s capital, Cairo
‘He was held in a cell overnight where he remained in handcuffs petrified for his life as he did not know what he was supposedly being charged with or what he had done wrong.’
The incident took place in front of Mr Camoccio’s adult son, aged 26, on Saturday February 8, when he was arriving in Eqypt for a holiday with 18 friends and family.
He was jailed, but it was only four days later that the accusation of sexual assault was made, the family say. He was due to appear in court the following day, but the hearing did not take place.
‘The situation has been blown up,’ said the family friend. ‘There is video evidence being held back by the Egyptian police that proves that this is a lie. The officer has accused Tony of sexual assaulting him which is evidently not the case.
‘He is completely innocent and has been kept in inhuman conditions. The police are now saying they want up to 15 days more to investigate.
‘The police are very uncooperative. His basic rights were being abused and these are false accusations.
‘The police officers at the station asked that his wife and son brought food, water, clothes and any toiletries or things he may need and these belongings were not passed on for an entire two days.’
More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the release of Mr Camoccio, who is a regular visitor to Hurghada, 250 miles south east of Egypt’s capital, Cairo (pictured above)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is assisting the family in Egypt. A spokesman said: ‘We are in contact with a British man who has been arrested in Egypt. Our staff are in touch with his family and the Egyptian authorities’
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is assisting the family in Egypt.
A spokesman said: ‘We are in contact with a British man who has been arrested in Egypt. Our staff are in touch with his family and the Egyptian authorities.’
Earlier this month another British tourist claimed holidaymakers had been mistreated at Hurghada airport after they were ‘locked’ in a room for nine hours after their flight was delayed.
Ros Somes, 66, from Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk told the Eastern Daily Press that she and fellow passengers were treated like cattle.
Up to 500,000 British holidaymakers visit Egypt each year.
In January last year, British woman Laura Plummer, 34, was released after 14 ‘horrendous’ months in Eqyptian jails.
Up to 500,000 British holidaymakers visit Egypt each year. In January last year, British woman Laura Plummer, 34, was released after 14 ‘horrendous’ months in Eqyptian jails
Speaking about her ordeal on Good Morning Britain, Laura said: ‘In Hurghada there was fighting every night’
The shop assistant from Hull was caged for three years on Boxing Day 2017 for bringing 290 tablets of Tramadol into the country on a flight from Manchester to Hurghada.
Ms Plummer was initially jailed in Hurghada before she was transferred to Al Qanater, an all-female prison in Cairo.
Speaking about her ordeal on Good Morning Britain, Laura said: ‘In Hurghada there was fighting every night.
‘I witnessed the most horrendous things I never thought I’d see in my life. I was there two-and-a-half months…that was the worst bit.
‘The worse moment was Hurghada when I saw women get tortured with sticks on my second day.’