A ‘buzz’ is being generated a new documentary film about Roman Polanski’s flight from the US legal system.

This is what the original case was all about, way back in 1977. Not a nice story.

Since then Polanski has not set foot in the USA and has kept well clear of the UK, even when pursuing successfully a libel case. He of course is feted elsewhere in Europe and especially in Poland.

He came into my life in Warsaw 2005, when I as HM Ambassador was invited by the promoters to join a press conference to launch his new version of Oliver Twist.

What did Diplomatic Etiquette (and Common Sense) say I should do?

On the one hand this was a major new film of a classic British story with a British boy in the starring role. A British export of sorts. Right to support it!

On the other hand, Polanski remains some sort of outlaw for his revolting and arguably cowardly behaviour albeit many years ago. Stay away!

When in doubt, research the precedents…

It turned out that Polanski has been invited ‘privately’ to lunch at HM Ambassador’s Residence in Warsaw under a previous management. So UK taxpayer’s money had gone to feed and water this fellow in some style.

Ultimately Ambassadors are paid not to go along with what intrigues them but to serve their employer, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and thereby represent HM The Queen. Did they want to see noisy headlines in the papers of ‘British Ambassador Endorses Paedophile Runaway Pole Polanski!"? Probably not.

So I declined the press conference. But I did attend the premiere, and indeed briefly met Mr P there.

We nonetheless did a little for the British angle in the film by inviting the star of Oliver Twist, young Barney Clark, round to the Residence, where he played X-Box and kicked a ball about with my boys to general satisfaction.