The High Court has approved the extradition of an Irish haulier wanted in the UK to face 39 manslaughter charges arising from the Essex lorry deaths.
Ronan Hughes was arrested at his home in Leitrim Silverstream, Tyholland, Co. Monaghan two months ago on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.
Ronan Hughes is accused of being the chief organiser and ringleader” of an illegal operation that led to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants.
Their bodies were found in a refrigerated lorry container in Essex last October. It had travelled to the UK by sea from a port in Belgium.
UK authorities want to prosecute him on 39 charges of manslaughter and one charge of conspiring with others to assist unlawful immigration.
He claimed his arrest warrant lacked clarity, and fought his extradition on the basis it wasn’t clear where the offences were alleged to have taken place.
Mr. Justice Paul Burns disagreed, pointing to claims that the deaths were said to have occurred shortly after the ship carrying the trailer entered UK waters.
He decided there was no such ambiguity or any manifest error in the warrant before him, and he ordered Mr. Hughes’ extradition.
After a short break, the court was told the 40yo haulier wasn’t seeking to appeal the decision, and would like to be surrendered as soon as possible.
