On 17 January 2022, George Hepburne Scott's client was discharged by a District Judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court; his extradition having been requested by Romania where he had been sentenced in his absence to 5 1/2 years custody for cultivation and supply of cannabis.

The full extradition hearing had taken place in December 2021. It was a very interesting case where the requested person was a qualified medical doctor who suffered from severe mental illness including PTSD which was attributed to an 'undisclosed incident' that he suffered within a Romanian prison. However, the expert consultant psychiatrist called on his behalf at the hearing gave evidence, that was entirely accepted by the District Judge, that this PTSD was severe and would worsen if the requested person were extradited.

This was a highly unusual case and the District Judge indicated that it was the longest judgment he had ever written. Ultimately, the requested person was discharged on the grounds that to extradite would be "oppressive" within the hearing of s.25 of the Extradition Act 2003 and also, relatedly, disproportionate in terms of Article 8 of the ECHR.

The client, was, understandably, overjoyed and stated that the judgment had 'given him his life back.' This was a hard fought, hard one and important extradition victory.