Ex-solicitor Michael Lynn due in court after being extradited

The former solicitor Michael Lynn is due in court in Dublin this afternoon after arriving back in Ireland from Brazil, following a stop-off in Germany.

Mr Lynn, who faces 21 charges of alleged theft linked to the collapse of his property business, arrived in Dublin Airport just before 1.30pm from Frankfurt, having been delayed for more than an hour by the weather conditions.

He was taken from the airport to a nearby Garda station and was charged.

The courts are closed because of the weather conditions but a special Dublin District Court sitting is taking place at the Criminal Courts of Justice to hear his case.

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His journey from Brazil began after the authorities there moved to fulfil an Irish extradition request, bringing to an end his 4½ year legal battle to avoid returning to the State.

Agents from Brazil’s federal police on Wednesdday took Mr Lynn from the Cotel remand prison in the northeastern city of Recife, where he has been held since his arrest in August 2013.

He was first brought for a medical examination to confirm he was fit for the journey back to Europe. Afterwards he was taken to the international airport in Recife to be formally handed over to a team of gardaí tasked with escorting him back to Ireland.

Mr Lynn was reportedly “tranquil” on leaving the prison, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“He was accepting of the situation. He said his goodbyes to everyone. He was well-liked as he never caused a problem during his time here,” the official said.

Debts

The Crossmolina, Co Mayo native is being sought in connection with alleged offences linked to the collapse of his property business which left debts of €80 million. He disappeared from Ireland after failing to appear for a court date in December 2007 and was subsequently struck off the roll of solicitors.

He eventually settled with his wife in Brazil and secured permanent residency following the birth of the couple’s first child in the country in August 2011.

He was arrested in August 2013 on foot of an extradition warrant that was issued following an agreement between Brazil and Ireland over how to handle such requests pending the conclusion of a formal extradition treaty.

Mr Lynn sought to have the request invalidated but in December 2014 Brazil’s supreme court voted to extradite. Since then his lawyers have waged a campaign to have the court revise the decision but in December of last year it formally instructed that he be turned over to Irish authorities. A final bid to derail the process in the High Court in Dublin failed last week.

The State has agreed to discount the time Mr Lynn spent in prison in Brazil from any possible sentence he receives in Ireland if he is found guilty and jailed for any of the 21 charges he faces.