Courts / Donegal / Report

State denied permission to appeal extradition refusal for sex offender wanted on historic driving charge

Date
2026-02-05

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Donegal

County
Donegal

Summary

The High Court has refused the State's application for leave to appeal a decision declining to extradite a convicted sex offender to Northern Ireland. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath ruled that the case was exceptional, finding it would be disproportionate to order the surrender of Paul Lomas, aged 41, with an address in County Donegal, given the age of the matters in question and the type of sentence involved. The Northern Irish authorities sought Lomas's surrender for six offences dating back approximately 15 years, including five conviction matters and one charge of driving whilst disqualified from January 2011. The convictions stemmed from assaults on police officers and breaches of a Risk of an Interim Sexual Harm Order imposed following a 2009 conviction. Mr Justice McGrath noted that Lomas had served his custodial sentence for the serious offences and subsequently developed family connections in the State. The judge concluded the case had reached the threshold where refusal of surrender was warranted. The unnamed respondent pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: State denied permission to appeal extradition refusal for sex offender wanted on historic driving charge. Charges or matters: this offence and was sentenced at Derry Crown Court in June 2009 to 12 months in prison and placed on the Northern Ireland sex offenders register for a period of 10 years. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2009 Incident
6 May Incident
2026-02-05 Publication

Case subjects

Unnamed respondent

Respondent

Charges: this offence and was sentenced at Derry Crown Court in June 2009 to 12 months in prison and placed on the Northern Ireland sex offenders register for a period of 10 years (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He pleaded guilty to this offence and was sentenced at Derry Crown Court in June 2009 to 12 months in prison and placed on the Northern Ireland sex offenders register for a period of 10 years.