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Letter to UK Secretary Of State for Justice re recent case regarding extradition to the UK and indeterminate sentencing.

The Right Honourable Kenneth Clarke MP QC

Secretary of State for Justice

Ministry of Justice

102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom

 

RE:  The Minister for Justice & Equality v GN

Dear Minister,

We refer to the above. Your administration reference is, we believe, Criminal Appeal Office Reference Number 200702371 A8; Indictment Number T20057096.

The respondent, GN is our client.

We act for him arising from a request from the UK Serious Organised Crime Agency for his extradition. As you no doubt know, in Ireland, requests for extradition are processed in the High Court at the behest of the Minister for Justice and Equality.

This has now been concluded in the case of our client and the High Court has declined to order our client’s extradition to the UK.

We are sending the judgment of the High Court to you under closed cover and commend it to you.

The issue in the case was the legal standing of indeterminate sentencing in the UK. We are aware that this is a current and controversial issue in UK politics and public administration.

We urge you to accept the conclusions of the Irish High Court and to act accordingly. In short, we urge you, on behalf of our client, to cease any further efforts to seek his extradition to the UK.

This will have the beneficial effect of relieving Ireland of any implied obligation to appeal the High Court judgment to the Supreme Court. This course of action will also relieve our client of stress and anxiety while the outcome of any such appeal is awaited. It will also relieve Ireland of the expense of prosecuting and defending any such appeal.

We look forward to your favourable responses.

Yours faithfully,

________________

McGarr Solicitors