This article is more than 7 months old

This article is more than 7 months old

A Northern Ireland lorry driver wanted over the deaths of 39 people found in a refrigerated container in Essex last October can be extradited from the Irish Republic to the UK, a Dublin court ruled on Friday.

The high court in Ireland confirmed that Eamonn Harrison from Mayobridge across the border in County Down could be handed over to Essex police.

Harrison faces 39 manslaughter charges and two charges of conspiracy in connection with the discovery of the bodies of eight women and 31 men – all Vietnamese migrant workers – at an industrial park in Grays in the early hours of 23 October.

But lawyers for Harrison indicated they may appeal against the extradition order after they have seen the full details of Mr Justice Donald Binchy’s ruling.

The judge agreed to delay the extradition handover until 4 February.

He will publish his full judgment on Monday when it will be available to Harrison’s defence. The lorry driver’s legal team told the court their client would be contesting the charges.

His conspiracy charges are connected to alleged human trafficking and assisting unlawful immigration. The 39 manslaughter charges against him carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Harrison was arrested at Dublin port after returning from France and Belgium in October 2019.

A previous court hearing was told that Harrison had driven the lorry container in which the 39 people were found to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge before it was transported to England.

Defence lawyers opposed the extradition arguing that there was no evidence the 39 victims had died in the UK.

They told Dublin high court that at a previous hearing the UK’s extradition warrant was too rushed. Harrison’s legal team also said their client was wrongly described in the earlier court appearance as a British rather than Irish citizen.

Lawyers seeking Harrison’s extradition told the court that he drove the lorry used to deliver a container to the port of Zeebrugge and was identified as doing so in Belgium by CCTV footage.

They also told the court that Harrison had signed the shipping notice for the container which was found later with the 39 bodies inside.

But Harrison’s legal team raised the question as to why if his alleged offences took place in Belgium the UK was seeking his extradition.

Defence counsel Tony McGillicuddy said he would read the judgment next week before deciding whether to appeal.

Harrison was remanded into custody and will appear again in court on Tuesday 4 February.