Traynor stays away from Dutch court

DUBLIN criminal John Traynor stayed away from a court in Amsterdam as judges were asked to hand him over to the British authorities on the foot of an extradition warrant.

The 62-year-old former member of the notorious John Gilligan drugs gang has a serious heart condition, the court was told. No reason was given for his decision to waive his right to appear and a court translator was present in case he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to turn up.

The convicted fraudster was using a driving licence – in the name of a well known Amsterdam-based Dublin-born drug trafficker – when he was arrested on a traffic violation in the Amstelveen area of the Dutch capital on August 24.