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Cousins fly out to Cyprus jail after losing legal fight over extradition
Felix Allen01.12.09
Two cousins handed themselves in to police early today before being sent to Cyprus to begin jail terms for killing a teenage moped rider.
Michael Binnington, 23, and Luke Atkinson, 24, lost their long legal fight to avoid extradition last week and agreed to go willingly to start their three-year prison sentences.
The pair were back-seat passengers in their uncle's hire car when it hit a moped, killing one boy and injuring another during a holiday in 2006.
The cousins' families travelled with them from their homes in Witham, Essex, before they surrendered to officers at Belgravia police station this morning. They are expected to be flown to the Mediterranean island today after a last-ditch appeal to be allowed to serve their time in a British jail was turned down.
Luke's mother Averil Atkinson, 54, told the Standard: "I'm feeling very angry. I'm angry at everybody - the British government, the Cypriot authorities, everyone. The whole family is cross and upset.
"I'm sick and tired of it all. We've been through so much and it's been very difficult."
She added: "Today is just about saying goodbye to them. We don't even know what time their flights are. I expect we will be going out there to see them at some point but at the moment I don't know when I will see my son next."
Julian Harrington, who was driving the car, is serving a 15-year jail term after admitting responsibility for the crash that killed Christos Papiris, 17, in Protaras.
His nephews, who were accused of being complicit in the crime, were cleared of all charges at their original trial in Larnaca in February 2007 and they left Cyprus as free men. But Cypriot prosecutors appealed and the country's supreme court later overturned the acquittals, convicting them both of manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm.
It ruled that the pair had "undoubtedly encouraged" Harrington to pursue the moped to take revenge after a fight outside a nightclub. They were sentenced to three years in jail for culpable manslaughter and one year for grievous bodily harm, the sentences to run concurrently.
Karen Todner, solicitor for the men, said: "It is quite astonishing that two boys who have been found not guilty in the court in which they were tried have now been sentenced in their absence to three years' imprisonment."
After they lost their final appeal against extradition last month Labour MEP for Essex Richard Howitt said: "Michael and Luke are today the victims of a miscarriage of justice that should never be allowed to happen under European law."
Reader views (8)
This is the first time a newspaper has reported what these two actually did. They got into a scuffle at a club, told their uncle what had happened, got into his car, found the wrong pair of boys on a moped (these were not the two boys they fought with) and proceeded to repeatedly ram the bike with the car. After Papiris was thrown off the bike into a telephone pole to his instant death, hey continued onward until they rammed the bike rider again and knocked him off the bike.
- Dan, London, Ontario
Reminds me of an incident recounted to William (Billy) Hayes in his book Midnight express. A fellow prisoner was trying to explain to Billy how the Turkish judicial system worked and its many anomolies.
He used this story: A Bulgarian man was dining at a famous Turkish cafe - Ye olde pudding shoppe - His car parked outside. A drink driving Turk then smashed into the said parked car killing himself. The Turks then charged the innocent Bulgarian with manslausghter. He was found guilty and received a 6 month sentence.
You could not make it up.
- Reay, london
Erm...Frank. Extradition treaties are there for a reason and exist entirely seperately the EU. What are you saying? That we shouldn't export any convicted criminals to serve their sentences, and, as a corollary, won't be able to pursue anyone who flees from Britain for committing a crime here? Wise up sunshine.
- Jonathan Drake, London
Only thinking of themselves and not a thought spared for the dead teenager or his family. How typically British.
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland
Come off it, Mr Howitt (MEP for Essex)! The Cypriot Supreme Court convicted them both of manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm. If you do the crime (which they surely did!) then you do the time! They were all involved in the murder of a teenager!
- Haskey, London SE1
Luke's mother Averil Atkinson, 54, told the Standard: "I'm feeling very angry. I'm angry at everybody - the British government, the Cypriot authorities, everyone. The whole family is cross and upset.
I'm sure shes not as cross and upset as the dead boys family who they persued and killed in their car.
- Dc, London
This kind of thing will happen when your government signs away your country to a bunch of unelected unaccountable profoundly corrupt Europeans.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
oh poor Averil Atkinson being 'sick and tired of it all' and a bit angry about it all !! it's not her Son who is dead because of this. The parents of Christos Papiris are the ones who should feel the anger. Anyway hope the boys enjoy their stay in Cyprus in a proper jail.
- Tony, Barnet
