There were serious doubts about the reliability do the evidence against Symeou and the case against him was flawed, but courts in England were powerless to prevent the extradition. The same is true of Gary Mann, who was extradited to Portugal in 2010 following trial that British judges deemed a travesty and a violation of his right to a fair trial. This former fireman twice commended for his bravery had his rights violated thanks to the EAW.

It’s easy to make the case for the EAW, but the remainers bemoaning the government’s actions on Twitter should spare a thought for its victims. There are many. The case of Edmond Arapi shows that it is a mistake to always trust that the justice systems in other countries are as good as in the UK. He was detained in the UK after being convicted of murder at a trial held in Italy in his absence in Genoa. There was no due process and at the time of the murder he was in the UK. Or look up the case of Deborah Dark or Natalia Gorczowska, these examples are the tip of an iceberg.

The European Arrest Warrant is a threat to liberty, the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial. Remainers are always asking for someone to tell them ‘a single tangible benefit of Brexit’, well here you go! A real Brexit dividend, protecting the freedom of our citizens! The government intends to replace the EAW with a fast-track extradition system. It must ensure that it includes the safeguards that the EAW sorely lacks.