Courts / Dublin / Report

Dublin fugitive to be extradited to UK for dangerous driving causing death sentence

Date
2014-07-02

Stage
Hearing Or Decision

Primary locality
Churchtown

County
Dublin

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 2 July 2014, Mr Justice John Edwards ordered the extradition of 35‑year‑old Stephen James O'Reilly from Dublin to the United Kingdom. O'Reilly had been convicted in 2008 of dangerous driving causing death and received a nine‑year sentence, of which 229 weeks and six days remained. He was released on licence, but the licence was revoked after he breached conditions and fled. The court considered O'Reilly's mental health, noting an adjustment disorder, a background risk for suicide, generalised anxiety, borderline intellectual disability, ADHD symptoms and a history of polysubstance abuse. Despite concerns that extradition might worsen his risk of self‑harm, the judge ruled that the public interest in his rendition outweighed those concerns and ordered his surrender. The surrender was postponed until 30 September 2016, when he will have completed an unrelated sentence in Ireland. The court also directed that his medical records be transferred to the UK authorities.