Lorry deaths: Ireland approves UK extradition

DUBLIN: An Irish court on Friday approved the extradition to Britain of a man wanted over the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a shipping container.

Eamon Harrison, 23, is charged with manslaughter and human trafficking in relation to the deaths in October last year.

Harrison is alleged to have delivered a trailer to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge before it travelled by ferry to Britain, where the Vietnamese nationals were found dead inside.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued for Harrison on 39 counts of manslaughter and one each of conspiracy to commit human

trafficking and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Judge Donald Binchy approved the warrant at the High Court in Dublin. “Considering all of the submissions made by both parties I have decided that the surrender of Harrison is not precluded,” he told the court. “I should order the surrender of Mr Harrison for the purposes set forth in the European Arrest Warrant.”

Binchy has yet to publish his lengthy full decision. He said he would delay issuing the surrender order to allow Harrison´s lawyers time to examine it and consider whether to appeal. A fresh hearing for the case was set for February 4.

Harrison—wearing glasses, a checked shirt and a purple sweater—did not speak or react throughout the short hearing. His lawyers have argued that the warrant lacked crucial information and it was unclear about the territory in which the alleged crimes are believed to have occurred.

Harrison was arrested by Irish police in Dublin on October 26, three days after 39 people including two 15-year-old boys were discovered by emergency services in Essex, east of London. Harrison lives near Newry in Northern Ireland. He was travelling on an Irish passport at the time, the court heard previously.