Jamaican Tony Ashman to be extradited to UK

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter



The way has been cleared for Jamaican Tony Vincent Ashman to be extradited to the United Kingdom to face a murder trial, after the Supreme Court refused his application to be released from custody.



The court also ruled that there was no abuse of process when was he was re-arrested last year and ordered extradited.



Last year April, the Supreme Court had ordered Ashman’s release because he had been in custody for more than the 60 days allowed by the law after waving his right to an extradition hearing.



The British Government sent another provisional warrant for Ashman’s arrest and he was re-arrested.



Attorneys-at-law Oswald James and Brian Barnes took the issue to the Supreme Court contending that it would be an abuse of process to extradite Ashman because the Supreme Court had ordered his release.



However, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that once a fugitive waived his right to an extradition hearing there was no need for a formal hearing or an authority from the minister to proceed.



Senior Puisne Judge Gloria Smith, Justice Bryan Sykes and Justice Carol Edwards heard the motion and upheld the submissions.



The court in dismissing Ashman’s case emphasised that an authority to proceed was not necessary in every case in which extradition is being sought by a requesting State.



Ashman is alleged to have fatally shot a man at a nightclub in England in 2009 and then fleeing to Jamaica.



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