Lynch extradition decision delay

A FInAL decision on whether British technology tycoon mike Lynch will be extradited to face fraud charges in the US has been delayed.

Following a court judgement in July, the Home office was this week due to make a decision on whether to send him for trial.

The 56-year-old has been accused of cooking the books at his software firm Autonomy before it was sold to Hewlett Packard for £9bn in 2011. He denies the allegations.

Yesterday, the Home office said it was invoking a seven-day extension on the decision under the Extradition Act 2003. It declined to comment on its reasons.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is under pressure from Tory backbenchers to overrule the court. mP David Davis has called the ruling an ‘outrage’ and says the tycoon’s fate should be for UK courts to decide.

If found guilty, Lynch faces 20 years in a US prison. He is still awaiting a separate civil case, brought by HP Enterprise, seeking damages for alleged accounting fraud.