John Downey extradition delayed

On 7 November 2018, we reported that John Downey had appeared before the Irish High Court to contest his extradition to Northern Ireland. Mr Downey is wanted in Northern Ireland on charges relating to the IRA Hyde Park bombing that took place in 1982. He had previously been put on trial at the Old Bailey on charges linked to the 1982 Hyde Park bombing, in 2014, but the case was stayed as an abuse of process. In that case, it emerged that in 2007 Mr Downey had been mistakenly sent a written assurance on behalf of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Attorney General stating that there was no outstanding direction for his prosecution, questioning or charging in relation to any offences and no warrants for his arrest in Northern Ireland. It was later discovered that the assurance should not have been given because Mr Downey was in fact sought for arrest by the Metropolitan Police at that time for charges relating to the Hyde Park Bombing.

Mr Downey’s extradition has now been delayed until March 2019.