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The High Court has remanded in custody with consent to bail a fugitive British sex offender whose appeal against an order for his extradition to Britain is pending before the Supreme Court.
John Murrell, aged 39, with an address in Athy, Co Kildare, was alleged to have failed to report to a probation hostel in Britain where he was sent on his release from prison in 2000. He had served 12 months of a two – year sentence for three counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency against a nine – year- old girl.
Last November, Mr Justice Michael Pearl ruled that Murrell be extradited to the British authorities and he dismissed all grounds of his appeal. Murrell appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the case next October or November.
At the High Court, counsel for Murrell, Ciaran Kelly applied for bail pending the hearing of that appeal on the grounds his client had been in custody since last September.
Murrell was prepared to turn up for his appeal, and would reside at a hostel in Dublin. The High Court had made an order for his client’s extradition to Britain, and counsel said that they had a strong, arguable case before the Supreme court.
However, he said Murrrell only had 70 euro to put towards a bail bond.
Counsel for the state, Robert Barron SC, said they were opposing bail on grounds that Murrell was a flight risk. Murrell, the court was told, had displayed an ability to move around Ireland with his wife and five children for seven years after he departed from Britain. Murrell had told gardai that he had lived in various parts of Ireland between 2000 and 2007, used a false name “Dave O’Neill” and worked as a handyman.
In the ruling Mr Justice John Hedigan said he could only grant bail if Murrell provided his own bond of 1,000 euro plus an independent surety of 3,000 euro. He would also have to reside at a hostel in the Dublin area and would have to sign on daily at a Garda station.
He remanded his in custody until he can provide the court with his own bond, and can have an independent surety approved by the High Court.
By Vivion Kilfeather, Irish Examiner
