Sligo man to be extradited to Scotland after failed High Court hearing
A 24-year-old Sligo man is to be extradited to Scotland after his bid to stop it failed at the High Court.
Richard Sharples, of Doonbeakin Road, Dromore West, is wanted by the Scottish authorities in connection with both a firearms offence and a serious assault that endangered the life of another man.
The offences are alleged to have occurred in Glasgow back in September 2021.
Sharples had avoided an extradition attempt last year when back in June, the High Court ruled against it on humanitarian grounds with Mr Justice Paul McDermott finding that there was a “real and substantial risk of inhuman or degrading treatment” if Sharples were to be extradited.
The judgment cited that Low Moss prison in Glasgow was overcrowded with an operating rate at 132 per cent capacity. Not withstanding that, Sharples – who has Asperger’s, ADHD, insomnia, anxiety and depression – would have been locked up for 22 hours a day the less than three square metres of space.
However, following assurances from the Scottish authorities that Sharples would be properly treated, Ms Justice Melanie
Greally in a new hearing earlier this week sanctioned the extradition request.
The Scottish authorities had re-issued the extradition warrant and assured the High Court that Sharples’ medical needs would be catered for by NHS Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service.
Justice Greally stated that the extradition process must be finalised within 25 days and granted Sharples bail on an approved surety of €20,000.
On September 16, 2021 at Cardrona Street in the Garthamlock area in Glasgow’s east end, Sharples was accused of a firearms offence “with the intent to enable another person by means thereof to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him”, contrary to the Section 16 of the 1968 Firearms Act of Scotland.
It was also alleged that Sharples launched an attack on the injured party by using a brick. It is also alleged that the defendant gouged the injured party’s eyes, punched and kicked the victim repeatedly and stamped on their head, contrary to Common Law, causing serious injury and endangerment of life.
If convicted, the maximum sentence under Scots Law for the firearms offence is 10 years in prison, with the assault charge carrying a maximum term of life.
“It appears plain to me that the refusal to surrender was not a privilege or immunity from surrender,” said Justice Greally.
“The right was one not to be surrendered, so long as the issuing judicial authority was unable or unwilling to give assurances on his complex needs.”
Justice Greally added that Justice McDermott’s previous ruling back in June 2023 had now been addressed by Scottish authorities by letter from the Scottish Crown Office that amounted to a “material change in circumstances”.
She said: “I am satisfied that the care plan for the respondent will be tailored to his needs and that the medical personnel available to him at Low Moss prison have the relevant skills and experience of persons with Asperger’s and
ADHD to cater for his emotional and psychological needs.”
Sharples had been due to appear at Sligo District Court last week to be sentenced for social welfare fraud but was unable to attend due to the extradition hearing in Dublin.
In a hearing on December 21, Sharples had entered a guilty plea where it was heard by the District Court that he had pretended to be his brother in order to receive benefits having been denied them under his own name as he had been receiving benefit payments from Scotland’s welfare system.
He had swindled €2449 of benefits prior to being arrested and charged.
Sharples’ sentencing was deferred to April 25, 2024 pending both probation and welfare reports.