EXTRADITION ORDER
THE High Court has ordered the extradition of a father of seven to the UK on alleged charges including blackmail.
High Court judge Ms Aileen Donnelly last Tuesday delivered her judgment granting the State’s application for the extradition of Hughie Patrick McGinley.
The 31- year- old who resides at Connaughton Road Car Park in Sligo is wanted by the English authorities on foot of a European Arrest Warrant dated February 26, 2016.
Mr Leo Mulrooney BL for the Minister for Justice and Equality told the court that the warrant seeking Mr McGinley’s surrender states that he is wanted to face trial on charges of blackmail, conspiracy to commit blackmail and possession of criminal property.
Mr McGinley was arrested at Ballyfree Halting Site in Sligo on August 1, 2016 and admitted to bail on August 27, 2016.
Mr Mulrooney told the court that the warrant was issued at Harrogate Magistrates Court and that each of the three offences carry maximum sentences of 14 years in prison and the offences involved a number of others who have been before the British Courts.
The court heard that the complainant is named Gerald Richardson and is the owner of a farm in North Yorkshire.
On August 24, 2015 Mr Richardson was visited at his farm by a man later identified by the complainant and his wife as Dennis McGinley. Dennis McGinley is a brother of Hughie Patrick McGinley.
Dennis McGinley offered to recover money lost by the complainant in a blackmail incident in 2003, in return for a percentage. The complainant was asked to pay some of that money up front.
The court head that over the next 12 days the complainant met with Dennis McGinley on nine occasions in various locations throughout England and handed Dennis McGinley a total of £ 196,000.
The complainant was told that he and his family would be subjected to violence if the money was not paid.
The court heard that Dennis McGinley, Bianca McGinley, Christy Stokes and Bernard McGinley were later charged with conspiracy to commit blackmail and possessing criminal property.
At a hearing in Teeside Crown Court on December 2, 2015 Dennis McGinley and Bernard McGinley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit blackmail and possessing criminal property. Christy Stokes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit blackmail. Bianca McGinley initially entered not guilty pleas but on January 22, 2016 pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property.
A number of the defendants received custodial sentences of between 54 months and 88 months. Another person suspected of involvement has not been arrested as he left the UK.
Last Tuesday, the court heard that the respondent was allegedly linked to the incident by CCTV and phone evidence but also the complainant was told that he and his family would be subjected to violence if the money was not paid.
Defence counsel, Mr Pat O’Sullivan BL, told the court that his client is married and has seven children.
Delivering her judgment today, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said that the central issue in this case is that the respondent’s right and his family’s right would be violated should he be surrendered.
The court heard that the offences alleged against the respondent are “serious” and of “considerable gravity.”
“While the court may have sympathy for his wife and family, sympathy is not the basis for these decisions. The sentences imposed on a variety of the offenders show that the court in the UK has also viewed this as particularly serious in light of the sentences imposed despite guilty pleas,” she said.
Ms Justice Donnelly then made an order directing that Mr McGinley be surrendered to the UK. FORMER Sligo Rovers manager Sean Connor has been sentenced to six months in jail and banned from driving for six years.
Glenties District Court heard that Connor drove with children in his car while already disqualified.
The 49- year- old pleaded guilty to driving without a driving licence or insurance on three occasions. He has been released on bail for an appeal to a higher court.