Man accused of kidnapping republican faces extradition court

A man wanted in the North for kidnapping a well-known republican in Belfast six years ago appeared before the High Court in Dublin today, following his arrest in the Republic on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Mr Justice Michael Peart, sitting at the Courts of Criminal Justice Complex at Parkgate Street in Dublin, remanded Liam Rainey in custody to appear before the extradition court again on June 2 next.

Rainey (aged 36) formerly of Belfast’s Ballymurphy Road and New Barnsley Crescent was arrested by gardaí in Bettystown, Co Meath on Tuesday.

Liam Rainey is being sought by authorities in the North after he failed to show up in court in May 2006 when he was due to be sentenced for his role in the kidnapping of Bobby Tohill.

A European Arrest Warrant, seeking his extradition, was issued by Her Majesty’s Crown Court in Belfast on September 3, 2008, and later endorsed by the High Court.

In December 2005, Rainey was one of four men convicted of kidnapping of Mr Tohill on February 20th 2004, after they pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was forcibly removed from Kelly’s Cellars Bar, Bank Square in Belfast and taken to a van.

When PSNI officers intercepted it, four men were found in the back. They were wearing disposable forensic suits and surgical gloves.

Mr Tohill was also found inside, bleeding and with head injuries.

Gerard McCrory and Tommy Tolan were arrested in 2007 after being stopped by police in Hillsborough, Co Down.

McCrory was sentenced to seven years in prison and Tolan to six years.

Last month Harry Fitzsimmons was sentenced to eight years in jail after being extradited from the Republic.