Britain orders extradition of man over robbery that led to Adrian Donohoe murder
‘Best friend’ of killer wanted for botched raid on credit union
A BRITISH judge has ordered the extradition to Ireland of a man suspected of involvement in the robbery that led to the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.
James Flynn, 31, is wanted for the botched 2013 robbery at Lordship credit union in Louth, during which Det Garda Donohoe was shot dead by Aaron Brady.
The High Court in Dublin approved an extradition request on July 12 of last year and Mr Flynn was arrested in the UK within days.
He was previously described during an extradition hearing as a ‘best friend’ of Brady.
He was arrested in the UK last July and had contested his extradition, arguing that too much time had passed since the robbery for
Defence claimed he suffers from memory loss
him to receive a fair trial in Ireland.
Yesterday, the presiding judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that Mr Flynn’s extradition to Ireland is valid.
Mr Flynn and members of his family were in court for the hearing. Authorities here in Ireland had formally sought his extradition last year, and last July he was arrested near Watford.
A British court refused bail last August after accepting a prosecution argument that he is a flight risk.
His defence team claimed in court that he is suffering from memory loss and can’t recall events in 2013.
However, yesterday morning, the presiding judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that he should be extradited.
Mr Flynn was in court for the brief hearing where he was informed of the decision. He was advised that he has one week to seek leave to appeal the ruling, and that if he doesn’t, he will be removed from the UK within ten days of that time expiring.
The court previously heard that Mr Flynn is wanted for six burglaries and a conspiracy to burgle, as well as for the January 25, 2013 robbery at a credit union during which Det Garda Donohoe was killed.
Mr Flynn is not charged with murder and is not a suspect in Det Garda Donohoe’s killing.
During a bail hearing last August, Mr Flynn’s barrister, Graeme Hall, told the High Court in London that his client ‘vehemently denies all of the allegations’ and wished to be released on bail while the extradition request is processed.
Judge Fordham ruled that there were ‘substantial grounds for believing that the applicant would fail to surrender if released by me on bail’.
Mr Flynn is from south Armagh and has both British and US passports. He moved to the United States in April 2013 and back to Northern Ireland in 2017.
Barrister Mr Hall told the court that his client has ‘legitimate business interests’ in both jurisdictions, as well as in England, where he has an address in Watford, north of London.
While applying for bail last August, Mr Hall emphasised that his client is of good character with no previous convictions and was compliant on arrest.
He said that Mr Flynn did not move to the US as a fugitive but to ‘pursue business opportunities’ with his brothers.
Since his return to the UK, he has ‘lived openly’ and donated to his local foodbank, the British court was told.
Evidence was previously given in the extradition proceedings that Mr Flynn was the ‘best friend’ of Brady at the time of the robbery.
Brady was in court in Dublin earlier this month after he was charged with perverting the course of justice.
A book of evidence is being prepared in that case.
He is accused of conspiring to persuade a key State witness not to testify during his murder trial.
Brady, 31, of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe. He is serving a capital sentence of 40 years.