Former Galway hurler consents to UK extradition

A former Galway hurling star who is wanted in Britain in connection with an alleged egg fraud has consented to his extradition to the United Kingdom.

The British authorities are seeking the surrender of All-Ireland winner and businessman Pearse Piggott over his alleged involvement in a multi-million fraud where eggs from caged hens were passed off to UK consumers as being free range or organic.

Yesterday at the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Peart was informed that Mr Piggott (aged 48), Ballylennon, Gort, Co Galway, who runs the egg distribution firm Pearse Piggott and Sons, was consenting to his surrender to the UK.

It is alleged production numbers on eggs were altered, the names of the suppliers were incorrect and the fraud netted a profit of some £1.59m (€1.86m).

All the offences are alleged to have taken place between January 1, 2004 and the end of December 2007.

Mr Piggott is facing charges including conspiracy with others to defraud and perverting the course of justice.

The court heard that the maximum sentences in the UK for those offences is 10 years and life imprisonment respectively.

Ronan Kennedy BL for the State told the court that charges of false accounting against Mr Piggott were dropped by the British authorities.

Mr Justice Peart said noting Mr Piggott's consent that he was satisfied to make an order for Mr Piggott's surrender.

Following, an application by Eoin Lawlor BL for Piggott the judge agreed to grant the businessman bail until a date can be arranged for the surrender to take place.

The terms of bail including that he sign on three times a week with the Gardaí in Gort and furnish the gardaí with his mobile telephone number.

The State did not consent to bail being granted.

A noted hurler Mr Piggott played in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final in 1986 when Galway lost to Cork, but he secured a winners medal twelve months later as a substitute when Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final.

He also served as a selector for the Galway senior hurling team.