First post-Brexit request for UK extradition now before the High Court

THE first British extradition request sent to Ireland since the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the UK and the EU has come before the High Court in Dublin.

Welsh man Wesley Purse (42) was supposed to be serving 12 years in an English prison when he was caught cultivating 112 cannabis plants in Co Tipperary on May 3, 2017.

Purse is wanted by UK authorities to serve the 12-year sentence that was imposed in his absence at Stafford Crown Court for supplying Class A drugs, namely cocaine, in Staffordshire in July 2014.

He is also wanted to face charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, affray and possession of a baseball bat arising out of an alleged attack on a male in the UK on August 8, 2015.

It is alleged that Purse violently attacked the man with a baseball bat following an altercation with some occupants of a car.

He was released pending charge for the alleged attack but failed to answer bail and was subsequently found cultivating €42,000 worth of cannabis at Rossadrehid, Co Tipperary, on May 3, 2017, for which he received a fiveyear prison sentence, which expires in January 2021.

UK authorities are now seeking the return of Purse to serve the 12-year sentence imposed in his absence at Stafford Crown Court in 2016 and to face charges for the alleged violent assault.

Consideration

It is the first British extradition request to have been endorsed by the High Court since the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the UK and the EU.

Reserving his decision for three weeks, Mr Justice Paul Burns said yesterday he had to consider seeking additional information from the UK authorities before deciding on Purse’s proposed surrender.

He was remanded in custody to appear before the court again on June 18 next.