EXTRADITION DECISION ON JESHMA MURDER SUSPECT WELCOMED

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 21st Jun 2005

Baroness Sarah Ludford, London MEP and Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman, has welcomed the decision by the Latvian authorities to extradite to the UK Viktors Dembovskis, the suspect for the rape and murder of Wembley teenager Jeshma Raithatha. She said:

"A speedy extradition of Viktors Dembovskis will be a testimony to the success of the EU's European Arrest Warrant. The new level of cross-border co-operation between Scotland Yard and the Latvian authorities has transformed the old lengthy process."

Mr Dembovskis now has ten days to consider whether to appeal against the decision. If he does so, it could take the court up to one month to make the final ruling. Sarah Ludford added:

"While the suspect has every right to avail himself of legal safeguards, I would expect that he is back in London within weeks, not months or years. The EU is delivering on its promise to make the tracking down of criminals easier and quicker."

ENDS

Note: The European Arrest Warrant came into force on 1 January 2004, with the purpose to facilitate law enforcement across Europe. It replaced lengthy extradition procedures with a new efficient way of bringing back criminals and suspects who have absconded to another EU country. Sarah Ludford was spokeswoman for the whole European Liberal Democrat group in the European Parliament when the measure went through, and was instrumental in its approval.