JUDGMENT was reserved yesterday in a High Court case in which a Hong Kong man, who has been living in the State with his Irish born wife and three children for the past six years, is contesting his extradition to Britain.
The action is being taken by Mr Kwok Ming Wan, of Malahide Road, Dublin, against Assistant Garda Commissioner Mr Noel Conroy. Mr Wan is seeking a High Court order directing his release under the Extradition Act.
Mr Wan, in an affidavit, said he was arrested at his Chinese takeaway on September 5th, 1995, on foot of a warrant issued in Bow Street Magistrates' Court London, on June 15th, 1995.
The warrant related to an offence for which he was arrested and stood trial in London, of unlawfully wounding another man on August 19th, 1986.
On September 16th, 1987, he absconded during the course of his trial and believed he was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment.
He married an Irish woman in 1990 and they had three children.
He had heard nothing about the English proceedings until he was arrested.
Constable Edwin Morse, of Charing Cross police station, in an affidavit, said he had been a police community officer in London's Chinatown for 12 years. He knew Mr Wan since 1986. At that time Mr Wan frequented Chinese gambling houses and associated with members of the Wo Shing Wo Triad Society.
The Metropolitan Police did not know until November 3rd, 1994, that Mr Wan was in Ireland. Constable Morse was in Dublin on an unrelated matter when he saw Mr Wan.
Sgt Michael Heffernan, of the Garda Crime Branch, said in an affidavit they first heard of Mr Wan's conviction in June 1995 on receiving the English warrant.
Mr Justice Smyth said that, as the matter was of some gravity, he was reserving his judgment.