Man claiming ‘fear of flying’ granted stay on extradition to Poland

A Polish man, who stalled his extradition by refusing to board a plane at Dublin Airport because of a fear of flying, has been given permission to remain in the State until an appeal against his surrender by air is heard.

Court of Appeal President Mr Justice Sean Ryan granted Piotr Skiba a stay against his extradition until an appeal is heard next week.

Mr Skiba is wanted in his home country to serve prison sentences of nine and 18 months for burglaries.

Barrister Kathleen Leader, for the State, told the court the Minister for Justice was consenting to a stay being placed on Mr Skiba’s extradition pending his appeal but asked that it be heard at the earliest possible date.

Judge Ryan said he would try to arrange a hearing before three judges of appeal next Tuesday or Wednesday.

When the case came before the High Court two weeks ago, Det Sgt Jim Kirwan told Mr Justice Richard Humphreys that, when brought to the boarding gate by gardaí, Mr Skiba refused to get on the plane and expressed a fear of flying.

Barrister Mark Lynam, for Mr Skiba, had told the court that his client’s solicitor had on December 9th warned the State solicitor of his fear of flying.

Indication of fear

Det Sgt Kirwan said it was on December 12th that he received any indication of Mr Skiba’s fear of flying and he was sceptical because his dread of flying had been introduced at such a late stage.

The High Court had heard that once an extradition order was made by a court, the authorities had 10 days in which to deliver up the subject of the extradition request and that time would have expired on Christmas Day.

Det Sgt Kirwan said that if the State had to extradite Mr Skiba by sea and land, the Garda authorities would have to notify the security services of every country he would have to cross in order to make arrangements for his transport and delivery to Poland. Approval would have to be sought in each country.

The High Court had heard Mr Skiba, who was married with four children in Ireland, had not been asked for medical evidence to demonstrate that he had a fear of flying. He had not been asked if he had such a fear until he had been taken to the airport.