The High Court has ordered Edward John Doyle to be surrendered to the United Kingdom to serve the remainder of prison sentences imposed for grievous and actual bodily harm.
Mr Justice Michael Peart rejected Mr Doyle's objections to surrender under a European arrest warrant issued on 2 April 2008. The warrant followed his failure to comply with the conditions of his release from prison in the UK.
Mr Doyle had been convicted in October 2006 and received consecutive sentences totalling 39 months: 30 months for grievous bodily harm and nine months for actual bodily harm. He had also spent 91 days in custody before conviction.
He was released on licence on 25 February 2008. One condition required him to report to a named probation officer at Bury St Edmunds at noon that day.
Mr Doyle told the High Court that, while in prison, he had applied to transfer to Ireland under the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners legislation. That application had been approved. He argued that he later returned openly to Ireland to be with his mother and believed he was permitted to do so.
However, information supplied by the UK authorities stated that he failed to report to probation as required. The probation officer said he had not been permitted to leave the United Kingdom and that she had not been informed of any plan to travel to Ireland. His licence was revoked on the day of his release.
Mr Justice Peart said Mr Doyle's affidavit gave an incomplete account of events. He found that Mr Doyle had breached the licence and was not entitled to believe he could leave the UK.
The judge also rejected an argument that one of the consecutive sentences had already been served and could prevent surrender. He said calculation of the remaining sentence was a matter for the issuing state.
The court therefore ordered Mr Doyle's surrender to the United Kingdom.