Pensioners can appeal extradition to NI over 1975 murder of RUC officer

Two men in their 70s have been granted leave to appeal their extradition to Northern Ireland on charges connected to the 1975 murder of an RUC officer. At the High Court, Mr Justice Patrick McGrath ruled that while authorities had provided detailed explanation for the delay in seeking their surrender, this was incomplete and included lengthy periods of inaction. John Edward McNicholl, of Newmills, Letterkenny, County Donegal, and Seamus Christopher O'Kane, of Scalestown, County Meath, face charges arising from the investigation into the death of Constable Robert John McPherson, shot in an ambush in County Derry on 26 July 1975. Both men escaped from the Maze Prison in May 1976 before trial. The judge certified questions for the Court of Appeal regarding whether the 48-year delay constituted abuse of process and whether the omission to seek surrender for all original offences was an abuse of process. Both men were remanded on continuing bail pending further hearing.