Courts / Down / Report

NI man wanted over Essex migrant deaths gets date to appeal extradition

Date
2020-03-06

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Mayobridge

County
Down

Summary

Eamon Harrison, a 22-year-old from Mayobridge, Co Down, has secured a date to appeal his pending extradition to the UK. The Court of Appeal fixed May 7 for the hearing of his legal challenge, which was granted on grounds that the case raised issues in law. Harrison is wanted to face 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, and conspiracy to commit human trafficking. He is alleged to have delivered the refrigerated trailer in which 39 migrants were found dead in Essex on October 23, 2019. The High Court previously ordered his extradition in January, noting allegations that he was involved in transporting illegal migrants on two prior occasions in October 2019, using the same trailer for the fatal journey. The judge also cited allegations that Harrison was stopped in France in 2018 driving a trailer containing 18 Vietnamese migrants. While the source text mentions Maurice Robinson, a 25-year-old from Craigavon, Co Armagh, who was arrested at the scene and admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property, the validated procedural stage for this report is the appeal concerning Harrison. Harrison was not present in court for the case management procedure. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the hearing scheduled for May 7.