George Hepburne-Scott secures series of High Court extradition appeal successes
Over three days this month, George Hepburne-Scott has secured permission to appeal in three separate High Court extradition appeal cases.
On 14 August 2025, at an oral renewal hearing, George successfully obtained permission to appeal an order for extradition to Poland. The case concerned a 2012 assault conviction, for which the client received a one-year custodial sentence. Westminster Magistrates’ Court had originally ordered extradition on 14 January 2025, but the High Court granted leave to appeal under Section 20 of the 2003 Act, relating to the client’s (non) right to a retrial.
On 19 August 2025, George secured another success in the High Court; At an oral renewal hearing, he obtained permission to appeal an extradition order to France in a high-profile case involving the alleged theft of 75 bottles of Château Pétrus wine, valued at approximately €360,000, in March 2022. Extradition had been ordered by a district judge at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on 11 December 2024, however, an application for permission to appeal to the High Court was granted on two grounds, namely (i) Section 2 of the 2003 Act re particularisation of the conduct in the warrant and (ii) Section 12A of the 2003 Act re whether it could be properly be proved that a charging/ prosecutorial decision had been made.
On 20 August 2025, at an oral renewal hearing in the High Court, George’s client was granted permission to appeal extradition to Bulgaria in a case involving a nine-month sentence for driving offences committed in 2017 and 2018. Extradition had been ordered by a district judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, on 30 September 2024, however, an application for permission to appeal to the High Court was granted on two grounds, namely (i) s.20 of the 2003 Act regarding re-trial rights and (ii) Article 8 re private life.
All three cases will now proceed to full substantive appeal hearings before the High Court.
