Courts / Dublin / Report

World's "largest facilitator" of child porn brings judicial review over extradition

Date
2017-10-25

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Mountjoy

County
Dublin

Summary

The High Court has heard an appeal by Eric Eoin Marques, the accused, regarding his proposed extradition to the United States. Mr. Marques is alleged to be the owner of Freedom Hosting and is wanted by US authorities for conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. The FBI has described him as the world's largest facilitator of such material. Although his surrender was ordered by the High Court in 2015 and upheld by the Court of Appeal, he has launched fresh judicial review proceedings challenging the Minister for Justice's refusal to exercise discretion to halt his extradition. Counsel for Mr. Marques argued that the Minister's decision was flawed because she did not have regard to the Director of Public Prosecutions' reasons for not prosecuting him in Ireland. The court heard that the Minister stated it was not necessary to seek these reasons, a position described by defense counsel as "uninformative" and failing to meet the standard for a decision with profound consequences. Conversely, counsel for the Minister argued she was exercising residual discretion and that her provided reasons were adequate. The matter is currently at the appeal stage, with the hearing before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly adjourned to resume the following morning.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: World's "largest facilitator" of child porn brings judicial review over extradition. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

August 2013 Incident
December 2015 Incident
2017-10-25 Publication

Why: Credit: Collins) The High Court has heard it is "necessary" for the Minister for Justice to have regard to the DPP's reasons not to prosecute an Irish man in this jurisdiction because of the "profoundly serious consequences" of his extradition to the US. CNI source report