Polish criminals set free in UK
Ratamahatta | 29.07.2009 13:41
HUNDREDS of Polish criminals who fled to Britain could be freed – because it is too expensive to take them home to face justice.
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The villains, including violent offenders, burglars and drug dealers, were arrested in the UK on warrants issued by Polish cops. But now authorities in Poland have admitted they can’t afford to have them returned after the backlog grew so long.
British courts are forced to release them rather than breach their human rights by holding them too long awaiting extradition.
Yesterday a judge slammed the “unholy mess” after Poland’s repeated failures to fly them home.
Judge Caroline Tubbs told Westminster Magistrates’ Court: “This situation is not acceptable.”
The Poles have requested extradition of more than 200 of their nationals since August 2006 – 39 in the last two months.
It is too expensive to escort them on commercial flights so the Polish military are supposed to take them.
But military flights come only once every three weeks, resulting in the backlog.
Two suspects have already been freed because of the fiasco.
Dariusz Szydolowski is wanted for a serious assault and his removal was ordered on January 7.
But after his lawyer argued there was no excuse for his delay the case was discharged on January 25.
Kamil Nizio – also wanted for assault and whose removal was ordered on January 8 – had his case discharged on Wednesday.
A Polish military plane had failed to arrive to collect them on January 24.
Also at Westminster yesterday District Judge Daphne Wickham granted custody extensions in 15 cases to February 21.
She quipped: “I’m beginning to wonder whether the Polish military aircraft has been getting smaller and has been reduced to a helicopter.”
Lewis Green, representing a man awaiting extradition, suggested Polish authorities were trying their luck.
He said: “I have been involved in a similar application in which it was said a military flight arranged during Christmas had been fogbound.
“The court made the decision that it was reasonable and extended the limit.
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“It may be that now the Polish authorities have found it is possible to get the courts to move.
"They have interpreted it to mean they can do it as and when they want it – as a right.”
British courts are forced to release them rather than breach their human rights by holding them too long awaiting extradition.
Yesterday a judge slammed the “unholy mess” after Poland’s repeated failures to fly them home.
Judge Caroline Tubbs told Westminster Magistrates’ Court: “This situation is not acceptable.”
The Poles have requested extradition of more than 200 of their nationals since August 2006 – 39 in the last two months.
It is too expensive to escort them on commercial flights so the Polish military are supposed to take them.
But military flights come only once every three weeks, resulting in the backlog.
Two suspects have already been freed because of the fiasco.
Dariusz Szydolowski is wanted for a serious assault and his removal was ordered on January 7.
But after his lawyer argued there was no excuse for his delay the case was discharged on January 25.
Kamil Nizio – also wanted for assault and whose removal was ordered on January 8 – had his case discharged on Wednesday.
A Polish military plane had failed to arrive to collect them on January 24.
Also at Westminster yesterday District Judge Daphne Wickham granted custody extensions in 15 cases to February 21.
She quipped: “I’m beginning to wonder whether the Polish military aircraft has been getting smaller and has been reduced to a helicopter.”
Lewis Green, representing a man awaiting extradition, suggested Polish authorities were trying their luck.
He said: “I have been involved in a similar application in which it was said a military flight arranged during Christmas had been fogbound.
“The court made the decision that it was reasonable and extended the limit.
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“It may be that now the Polish authorities have found it is possible to get the courts to move.
"They have interpreted it to mean they can do it as and when they want it – as a right.”
Ratamahatta
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