The Extradition Department has secured several successful results this month when European Arrest Warrants for separate clients were discharged before Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Case 1

Mr K had been convicted of possession of class A drugs and had been sentenced in Slovakia to 15 years imprisonment. In court, District Judge Arbuthnot was extremely reluctant to consider discharging the arrest warrants until Mr K’s barrister, Kate O Raghallaigh, made repeated submissions and eventually persuaded her orally and in writing to change her mind.

Case 2

Mr F, whose extradition was being sought by the state of Romania, had been sentenced to a 6 year custodial term for two dishonesty offences. The arrest warrant was finally discharged after submissions made by Mr F’s barrister, Malcolm Hawkes.

Case 3

Mr K, whose extradition was being sought by the state of Poland, had 7 months and 8 days custodial term left to serve for property offences. He was represented in court by Caitriona McLaughlin who made strong representations to the court and the prosecutor to get the warrant discharged at a hearing specifically requested by Lansbury Worthington. The extradition team had managed to obtain a copy of an old arrest warrant which was discharged in December 2013. Caitriona was able to show the judge that the new warrant was in fact identical to the old discharged warrant – thus should not have been reissued.

None of these cases would have been successful without the hard work and dedication by the extradition team and in particular, Giovanna Fiorentino and Nadia Dimitrova.