Possible legal first: Extradition case discharged by video-link
A former Doncaster Counsellor has been tried and sentenced in a US Court remotely by video link in the UK, in what is thought to be a legal first.
What was the case about?
The man was on trial for drug trafficking offences and the US authorities were attempting to have him extradited to stand trial in an Ohio Court. However, following the remote trial of US Citizen Anne Sacoolas, who the UK had attempted to extradite to face trial for causing the death of motorcyclist Harry Dunn, there was considered no reason that the reverse for a UK to US trial could not be conducted via video.
He was found guilty of the offences and sentenced to the 8 months’ time served that he had been held in custody contesting the extradition order.
Who was the barrister on the case?
Acting for the defence was one of London’s top extradition juniors, Malcolm Hawkes of Doughty Street Chambers.
He appears in Chamber’s UK Bar’s Extradition rankings along with other highly esteemed practitioners.