Limerick woman wanted over UK murder opposes extradition application

A LIMERICK woman who is being sought in the UK for her suspected role in the murder of another woman should not be extradited as she is the sole carer for a disabled person, the High Court has heard.

Elaine Sadlier, aged 55, who has an address at Shannonvale, Old Cratloe Road, Limerick appeared before the extradition court this Thursday objecting to her surrender to UK authorities in Birmingham.

Birmingham Magistrates Court issued a warrant for her arrest on June 14, 2021 under the terms of the post-Brexit 'Trade and Co-operation Agreement'.

It accuses Ms Sadlier of assisting Michael Foran, who previously pleaded guilty to the murder of Katie 'June' Jones at a flat in West Bromwich, England in 2018.

Ms Jones' body was discovered on New Year's Eve 2018 by police who forcibly entered her flat on Wyndmill Crescent, Charlemont, West Bromwich. Her body was found in a bathtub beneath a layer of bedding. She had been repeatedly stabbed and there were signs of strangulation.

A knife was found next to her body and there were also signs of a struggle in the blood-spattered bathroom.

In October 2019, Ms Jones’ former partner, Michael Foran, pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years to be served.

Another male, Keith O'Dwyer, also pleaded guilty to assisting Foran after the murder and was sentenced to 16 months in jail.

During a hearing at the Criminal Courts of Justice this Thursday, Alex Caffrey BL, for the Minister for Justice, said there was no issue in finding a corresponding offence in Irish law for Ms Sadlier, who is accused of helping a male accused of murder, leaving the scene and arranging for him to stay in a hostel after the murder.

Brian Storan BL, for Ms Sadlier, told Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo that his client objected to her surrender as she is the sole carer of a disabled person, who is "fully dependent" on her.

He said Ms Sadlier's surrender would be against Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights and Section 37 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Mr Storan said that it had not been possible, within the limited timeframe, to provide a "viable alternative" in caring for the person.

Mr Justice Naidoo commented that the case was a "very sad" one, held in "very unfortunate circumstances", noting there had been a recent bereavement in the Sadlier family.

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Mr Storan said that should the court order Ms Sadlier's surrender, he would apply for a postponement of her extradition.

Ms Sadlier is accused of assisting an offender contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 under UK law - an offences which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.

Mr Caffrey previously told the court that the arrest warrant states that CCTV showed Foran, O'Dwyer, an unknown male and Ms Sadlier carrying baggage to an Irish-registered Range Rover which was then driven to Liverpool.

A Liverpool hostel owner told police that he received a phone call from an Irish number from a woman with an Irish accent that investigators attribute to the respondent, Ms Sadlier, who inquired about a room.

Foran paid cash for his two-night stay and the Range Rover was then driven to a Holyhead ferry and tracked to Ireland.

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Before he pleaded guilty, Foran's murder trial heard that Ms Jones was last seen in his company before she was reported missing and that her death most likely occurred on December 10, 2018, three weeks before the discovery of her body.

Both O'Dwyer and Foran were arrested in January 2019 in West Bromwich and Liverpool city centre respectively.

Mr Caffrey has said that Ms Sadlier's legal team have been in contact with West Midlands Police, who had requested that Ms Sadlier travel for a voluntary interview under the condition that she would not be arrested but she had not returned.

Mr Justice Naidoo adjourned the case to November 9 when he will rule on the matter of Ms Sadlier's possible surrender.