We represented our client who faced an extradition request from the Czech Republic for historic fraud offences.
At her first appearance in September 2025, we secured conditional bail following her decision not to consent to extradition. Following the full extradition hearing in mid-January 2026, the District Judge discharged the extradition warrant. The CPS did not appeal the decision.
Background
The extradition request related to fraud offences dating back to 2001–2002, for which our client had received a three-year suspended sentence in 2005. This sentence was activated in 2010 following a subsequent conviction for fraud. Our client had moved to the UK in 2009 with her then husband and two young children and was in the UK at the time of activation.
She previously faced a similar request in 2014, which was discharged by a District Judge in 2015. We successfully defended a second extradition request issued ten years later, taking into account the changed circumstances of her family, including her children’s ages and dependency.
We sought to oppose the extradition request on the basis of our client's right to a private family life pursuant to Article 8 of the ECHR. We also argued that the reissuance of this warrant amounted to an abuse of process.
Supporting Evidence
Evidence submitted in support of our client included:
- Witness statements from her two sons, highlighting their reliance on her care,
- A statement from our client's uncle, who is blind and dependent on her,
- Expert psychological evidence regarding her youngest son’s mental health, indicating that extradition could have a catastrophic effect on him.
Judgment
The District Judge concluded that extradition would be a disproportionate interference with our client's Article 8 rights and that the reissued warrant could constitute an abuse of process.
Successfully arguing that extradition is not compatible with a Requested Person’s rights under Article 8 of the ECHR has become significantly more difficult following the Supreme Court judgment in Andrysiewicz (2025). This case represents one of the rare successful outcomes.
Outcome
The CPS did not appeal the decision. Our client is now free to remain in the UK, which has now been her home for over 16 years.
Our client was represented by Solicitor, Kate Nichol, who instructed George Hepburne Scott of Church Court Chambers.
