Court postpones Wharrie extradition order

The High Court has ordered the extradition of English man Perry Wharrie, who is serving a 30-year jail sentence here for his role in a major cocaine smuggling operation in Co Cork.

At the High Court today, Mr Justice Michael Peart said he could find no reason not to make an order for Wharrie's extradition.

The order however was postponed until Wharrie has completed the lengthy sentence he received at Court Circuit Court in July of last year.

Wharrie, who was present in court amid tight security, had opposed his extradition.

The return of London-born Wharrie (aged 50), with an address at Pyrle's Lane, Loughton, Essex was being sought for allegedly breaching conditions of his release on licence. Wharrie had served a sentence in relation to the armed robbery of a Securicor van at Barclay's Bank at Hemel Hempstead on April 14, 1988 during which a police officer was shot dead.

The UK authorities claim Wharrie was released on licence in April 2005 on conditions including that he not leave the UK without permission from the authorities.

They claim Wharrie left his home address in Essex in 2007 without leaving a forwarding address.

Following an application from Micheal P. Ó Higgins SC, for the State Mr Justice Peart consented to make an order postponing that order until after Wharrie's 30-year drug sentence had been completed.

In 1989, Wharrie, with two other men, was convicted in connection with the shooting dead of off-duty police officer PC Frank Mason (27), who had intervened during the armed robbery.

During a struggle, a single shot was fired by another party which killed PC Mason.

Wharrie was given a life sentence for the officer's murder and received concurrent sentences for robbery and firearms offences. He was freed on licence in 2005 having served 16 years.

In July Wharrie and two other men received lengthy jail sentences for their involvement in an operation to smuggle €400m worth of cocaine found floating in Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, on July 2 2007.