This will put justice and fairness back into our extradition laws say campaigners

CAMPAIGNERS heralded a dramatic shake-up of Britain’s lopsided extradition laws in the wake of the Gary McKinnon case.

As the Mail revealed yesterday, the Home Secretary is to introduce a so-called ‘forum bar’ which means more suspects are likely to face trial in the UK.

A hearing will now have to take place before a judge to examine the details of any offence which the Americans want to end in extradition.

If prosecution is possible in both the UK and abroad, the courts will have the power to bar prosecution overseas. This will be done if it is ‘in the interests of justice’, Theresa May said. Draft guidance for prosecutors handling cases which cross jurisdictions will also be drawn up, she added.

Supporters of Mr McKinnon believe that if the forum bar had already been in place he could have been spared his decade-long ordeal. His alleged hacking took place from the bedroom of his north London flat. Forum has been the major demand of all campaign groups seeking reform of extradition law and its implementation is a significant victory for the Mail.

Mrs May also announced that she will end the Home Secretary’s discretion to halt extradition proceedings on human rights grounds – the power which stopped Mr McKinnon from being sent to the US.

She told MPs: ‘I believe extradition decisions must not only be fair, they must be seen to be fair, and they must be made in open court, where decisions can be challenged and explained.’

Tory MP Dominic Raab said: ‘Effective law enforcement should not mean hanging innocent British citizens out to dry. Reforming the US arrangements is vital.’

Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International, said: ‘The Government’s statement today goes much further than the case of Gary McKinnon, promising longawaited reforms to put justice and fairness back into our extradition laws.’