The Scotland Yard Officer accused on raping a woman here three years ago has arrived in Antigua after a successful extradition request for him.
The 25-year-old was flown to Antigua and arrived moments ago at the VC Bird International Airport. He arrived on a British Airways flight from London.
He is suspected of raping a foreign student while attending a family wedding three years ago.
The Scotland Yard officer tried to block the move claiming being detained in the paradise island’s notorious 18th century prison would be inhumane.
But in a legal first, the West Indian authorities convinced a London judge to sign off his extradition with an extraordinary accommodation deal.
They have agreed to house him on a former US airbase with air-conditioning, a fridge and an en-suite bathroom.
The set-up will be a far cry from the squalid interior of 1735, Antigua and Barbuda’s national prison, named after the year it was built.
Its harsh conditions, appalling overcrowding and corruption among guards has drawn criticism from the United Nations and US State Department.
The officer joined the Metropolitan Police in 2014 and was posted to the Wanted Offenders Unit in Wimbledon, south east London.
Police on the island said a foreign student based on the island came forward to claim she had been raped during his stay.
Before they could arrest him he left the island and the authorities began the lengthy legal proceedings to secure his return.
According to documents released by Westminster Magistrates’ Court, his lawyers said he could not be extradited because of the prison conditions.
In February 2017 the country’s chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot agreed, saying they were ‘not appropriate’ for a suspect who may be held for a ‘lengthy period of time’.
But during a hearing this summer she reversed her decision after receiving assurances from Antigua’s attorney general.
‘They put forward a room on a former US airbase which included air conditioning, a fridge, and an en suite bathroom,’ she wrote in a ruling. ‘The conditions were satisfactory, to say the least.’
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Good. If he is innocent, he has nothing to worry about.
Conditions at 1735 ok for Antiguan prisoners but not for foreigners. Assurances given by Att Gen Cutie Benjamin that luxury accommodations would be provided for this British alleged rapist….another black eye in the face of the CCJ……..government interference. I think now that all the inmates at 1735 should be removed to similar accommodation at the Old US base.
@No CCJ,
He is not convicted of a crime he is accused of a crime. He was in his home country to be extradited to a foreign country with prison conditions regarded as inhumane by his home country. Because Antiguans subject themselves to inhumane conditions doesn’t mean that it will be accepted globally. We speak negatively about our own but embrace the lesser from others.
@No CCJ: Assurances given by Att Gen Cutie Benjamin that luxury accommodations would be provided for this British alleged rapist….another black eye in the face of the CCJ……..government interference.
No, you need to understand our legal system. Mr. Benjamin is the Attorney General, one
of our liaison for foreign legal matters.
@No CCJ: I think now that all the inmates at 1735 should be removed to similar accommodation at the Old US base.
With the precedence that was set by Mr. Benjamin’s decision of offering “with air-
conditioning, a fridge and an en-suite bathroom”, the peoples of Antigua and barbuda
now has more legal backing in their fight for better accommodation at detainment
facilities.
Mr. Benjamin’s devision gives evidence that our people have the wisdom (knowledge
and understanding of use) to overcome the legal bureaucracy that first world countries
use against us to belittle us. We need to build the CCJ together.
“We accept the Privy Counsel, but we will appreciate the CCJ.
Are you aware that in 2017 the London Magistrate refused to even consider extradition because of the prison conditions in Antigua?
The alternative to the arrangements agreed to by our Attorney General, was NO EXTRADITION.
What would be your preference in such a situation? Talk is cheap when sitting in your comfortable living room, but when tough decisions have to be made my elected officials, we criticize unnecessarily.
No one can condone the conditions at 1735, but when under-developed countries are engaged in delicate negotiations with the G-7 goliaths, we always get the dirty end of the stick to hold. Personally, I would go along with the arrangements, rather than let the bastard go free. It is a no-brainer. If convicted, he should face the music at 1735. Period.
All the prisoners should asked to be moved from that environment.. .if u a police officer u get to commit crime and sit at your comfort zone that is y they will keep doing this shit …..on the other hand with this overseas police he could very well be innocent thou
Innocence isn’t just for foreign police. Plenty innocent ppl spend weeks in 1735. Why can’t the londoners help us to build a new prison if they are so concerned. HYPOCRITS.
What craziness is this. So if you are a Brit and you do a crime in Antigua you can demand to be taken to a a more humane prison with Air-con and TV and no bars. We really are bending over backwards to please everyone of these big countries. We have to change our laws to please them and even our way of living. What else is left of us.
I wonder if he is convicted if that deal will still stand.
What goes for Peter goes for Paul. What goes for Paul, goes for all. Human rights violation has no colour, social status or education background. All men are created equal!
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