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Blunder puts Middleton's 'Mafia wife' behind bars

Exclusive by Dan Thomson
1/ 5/2008

A HOLIDAY in the sun turned into a nightmare for Middleton's 'Mafia Godmother' after a police blunder left her locked up for 10 hours.

Ann Hathaway, 45, has slammed the treatment she received from the Spanish National Police as she was arrested in the restaurant of a Benidorm hotel and led away in handcuffs.

It is thought she was taken into custody by mistake because her international arrest warrant - which should have expired last year after she was convicted of Mafia association - was not withdrawn by Italian authorities.

The mum-of-two believes she was released from her Benidorm cell after the Central Judiciary in Madrid confirmed she was no longer a wanted woman.

Ms Hathaway, of Green Street, Boarshaw, told the Guardian how the Spanish National Police were aggressive towards her during the incident and how one officer whistled the theme from 'The Godfather' as she was behind bars.

She said: "I can't believe what happened, it really shook me up and upset me. I think it's disgusting the way they treated me, I've still got marks on my arms from where they grabbed me and my nerves have gone.

She added: "There are ways to go about things, and you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but they were absolutely horrible.

"The only thing I have done wrong is married someone who had problems."

Ms Hathaway was on holiday at the coastal resort with around 30 other women for a friend's 40th birthday celebration. She left her passport with hotel staff when she arrived on Thursday 17 April and was arrested the following morning. She remained in Benidorm after her release and returned this week.

She hit the headlines last year after Italian authorities issued an international arrest warrant requesting her extradition to Sicily to face charges linking her to the Mafia. They suspected her of running husband Antonio Rinzivillo's crime empire while he was serving 30 years in prison for drug trafficking and murder.

She spent four months behind bar before cutting a deal with Sicilian prosecutors in May - admitting the charge of Mafia association in return for a two-year suspended jail sentence. The arrest warrant should have been removed after the conviction.

Ms Hathaway said she had sent details of the latest incident to her solicitor and intended to seek compensation.