Another Important Extradition Victory for George Hepburne Scott

On 17 January 2022, George’s client was discharged by a District Judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court; his extradition having been requested by Romania where he had been sentenced in his absence to 5 1/2 years custody for cultivation and supply of cannabis.

The full extradition hearing had taken place in December 2021. It was a very interesting case where the requested person was a qualified medical doctor who suffered from severe mental illness including PTSD which was attributed to an ‘undisclosed incident‘ that he suffered within a Romanian prison. The requested person was unwilling to go into the details of this horrific incident due to its nature. However, the expert consultant psychiatrist called on his behalf at the hearing gave evidence, that was entirely accepted by the District Judge, that this PTSD was severe and would worsen if the requested person were extradited.

This was a highly unusual case and the District Judge indicated that it was the longest judgment he had ever written.  Ultimately, the requested person was discharged on the grounds that to extradite would be “oppressive” within the mearing of s.25 of the Extradition Act 2003 and also, relatedly, disproportionate in terms of Article 8 of the ECHR.

The client, was, understandably, overjoyed and stated that the judgment had ‘given him his life back.’

George was instructed by Magdalena Motyl of Bark & Co

Barristers featured in this news

Year of Call - 1999

More news

Shortlist ( )

Criminal Law

Business Crime

Extradition

Immigration Law

Regulatory and Disciplinary Law

Sports Law