No caning for Cape Bretoner

A River Ryan man accused of robbing a bank in Singapore will face an extradition hearing in Magistrates’ Court in London, July 23-24.

David James Roach made an appearance in court via video link from a London prison on Thursday and was remanded back in custody pending the hearing.

According to a statement from the Singapore government, the British government has requested assurance that if Roach is found guilty of robbery, he will not be sentenced to caning, a widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore.

In the statement, the Singapore government says they have agreed to the request from U.K. authorities. Extradition laws in the U.K. prohibit extradition in the absence of such an assurance.

Roach’s extradition is being sought on one count of robbery and one count of money laundering. In Singapore, both offences carry maximum jail terms of 10 years.

Roach is accused of robbing a Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore on July 7, 2016. Two days later, he was arrested in Thailand and in June 2017, sentenced to 14 months in jail for violating money laundering and customs laws by bringing money from a robbery into the country.

After serving his sentence, Thailand deported Roach to Canada on Jan. 11 but he was arrested in London during the layover on a request from Singapore authorities.