Murder suspect faces extradition

A man who faked his own death and fled to Majorca after the death of his wife faces being extradited back to Ireland.

Colin Whelan, 33, vanished in March last year after appearing in court in connection with the death of his wife Mary.

Her mother, Marie Gough, said today she was shocked to learn Mr Whelan was still alive.

“I thought he was dead because it went on for so long. I’m not jumping around with joy – all I want is justice.”

At her family home in Stamullen, Co Meath, Mrs Gough said it had been a difficult three and a half years since the death of her only daughter.

“I cry every day. It’s put an ache in my heart that will never go away.”

An Garda spokesman said the force had issued an extradition request to the Spanish authorities following Whelan’s arrest at the weekend.

“We’ve made the application and he’ll now have to go though the Spanish judicial system,” he added.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs also confirmed it had provided Whelan with assistance through its honorary consul in Palma, where he is in custody.

Computer analyst Whelan had been dating the 27-year-old legal secretary for seven years. They were married for six months before she died in March 2001.

Her body was found at the bottom of the stairs at their home in Balbriggan, Co Dublin. A post-mortem revealed she had been strangled.

Whelan was charged with her murder two weeks later but he disappeared while on bail in March 2003 before the trial began.

He was thought to have taken his own life after his Peugeot 206 and a number of personal possessions were found near the sea at Howth’s Head in Co Dublin.

A major sea, land and air search was carried out but his body was never found.

However, gardaí always believed he was still alive and alerted other European police forces.

An Irish holidaymaker in the Puerto Portals resort in Majorca recognised Whelan, who was working at the Squadron Bar under the assumed name Martin Sweeney.

Gardaí were informed and they applied for a European arrest warrant through Interpol.

Whelan was arrested at the bar by Spanish police on Saturday to the surprise of staff, who were unaware of his past.

He initially claimed police had got the wrong man but fingerprint tests established his true identity.

Whelan will be transferred to Madrid to face the extradition hearing.