Douglas Wotherspoon resists Belgian extradition request made on an invalid warrant

On 23 October 2023 District Judge Minhas discharged Douglas Wotherspoon’ client who was sought by Belgium pursuant to a conviction warrant for 186 offences. The warrant set out 186 offences of making false statements, the falsification and forgery of documents, and fraud. The offences were committed over a period of 1 month in 2017. District Judge Minhas found that the warrant was invalid as the particulars of the warrant were insufficient as to the requested person’s role in the offending. In discharging Mr C the District Judge noted that the warrant could properly be described as a “wholesale failure” to comply with the provisions of s.2 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Douglas was instructed by Claire McGrath and Fariha Nosheen of Bullivant Law.