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A Guildford ski instructor has branded the French authorities as "racist" after they threatened him with jail if he does not pay a €30,000 fine.

On Monday (June 16), Simon Butler, from Stoughton, appeared in court in Bonneville where he was found guilty of teaching without qualifications.

The 51-year-old heard that if he does not pay the fine he could face 200 days in prison.

The case dates back to February, when Mr Butler was arrested while he was with a class on the slopes of Megève where his company operates and where he has worked as an instructor for 32 years.

Speaking to the Surrey Advertiser last month, he said by not accepting British qualifications the French authorities’ actions amounted to protectionism and were against European law.

He flew back to France on Monday for a five-minute hearing where he was told he would no longer be allowed to teach in France.

“They said you can go to Switzerland,” he said. “It’s absurd isn’t it. There’s no justice at all. It’s a complete farce - an absolute farce.

“I have the highest qualification the French ministry of sport recognises and all the other British instructors can use it. Why can’t I?

“It’s total victimisation - it’s racism really. Why can’t I? Give me a reason?”

Mr Butler has received support from MEP’s including Conservative Emma McClarkin and UKIP’s Paul Nuttall, but they have been unable to persuade the EU to influence decisions in France.

“It’s so disheartening," he said. "There’s no one there, nothing there to say: ‘This is wrong - let’s sort this out’.

“You would expect the EU to sort this out but they say it is terrible, they will fine them and nothing happens.

“That’s it. So there you go - it just shows how stupid we are for going along with their regulations."

Back in the UK now, with his partner and two children, Mr Butler has lodged an appeal against the sentence.

If that fails he will take his case to the national court in Paris and then to Brussels where he said he is confident he will win.

“It will take over two years and hundreds of thousands of pounds and they know we can’t survive,” he said. “We have struggled to survive two and a half months up to now. That’s why they get away with it and that’s why the EU doesn’t work.”

Mr Butler is the current British masters champion in the over 30s class and ranked 24 in the world in the same category.

On February 18, he was surrounded by police officers while sat on a chairlift with his class, about to ascend the mountain.

Along with six other British instructors working for him, he was arrested and he was detained for 36 hours before being charged.

Another appeal is under way, against a six-month suspended sentence he received last September for failing to declare his intention to instruct.