Courts / Cork / Report
Court being asked to "turn on the green light" for foreign criminals, lawyers for Justice Minister argue
Summary
During a High Court extradition hearing on 10 March 2014, lawyers for the Minister for Justice argued that the courts should allow the surrender of Michael Anthony Balmer, a 62‑year‑old convicted murderer from the UK. Balmer had been released on licence in March 2011, had his licence revoked in March 2012, and was arrested in Cork. His counsel, Patrick McGrath SC, claimed he had served the punitive part of his life sentence and that surrender would only expose him to preventative detention for public protection. The defence contended that the link between his 1984 murder conviction and the present deprivation of liberty was broken, as the original sentence was 30 years ago. Judge John Edwards noted that in English law the punishment had ended and that continued detention for public protection was not acceptable under the Irish constitution. The case was set to resume on 20 March 2014.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Court being asked to "turn on the green light" for foreign criminals, lawyers for Justice Minister argue. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 28 1983 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 2011 Incident
- March 2012 Incident
- March 20 Other
- 2014-03-10 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: Mr Balmer, with a last address in Cornwall, England, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for attacking and killing a woman in her home on the evening of July 28 1983 in Devon, England. It was his submission that the link between the original conviction and the reasons for Mr Balmer's recall were broken, he added, having originally being sentenced 30 years ago.
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Mentally ill man who put fellow psychiatric patient in chokehold to be immediately released into care of UK parents
- 'Alternative dispute resolution': man arranged 'straightener' during which dad-of-seven was stabbed to death
- Brothers who sexually assaulted teenage girls in mid-nineties can now be identified for first time
- ESB worker too late to pursue claim seeking €42k in alleged unpaid overtime
- 'No hand, act or part': Osgur Breatnach's wrongful conviction for Sallins train robbery declared a miscarriage of justice
- Migrant engineer who worked 10-hour days for under minimum wage wins €14k
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request