Ben Keith Comments in i News on Extradition from the U.S: Prince Andrew and the impact of issuing civil proceedings:
Ben Keith, a specialist extradition barrister at the London chambers Five St Andrew’s Hill, told i News, Andrew cannot be extradited as part of a civil case but if he did decide to give evidence in it he would have to decide whether to travel to the US to do so.
He said: “He can’t be extradited on civil proceedings. They’ve got no power to make him go to the US. If there was a trial he could choose whether to attend or not attend but they can’t force him to go to the US.”
Mr Keith said any trial “would be months if not years away.”
If the Duke did ignore the lawsuit and there was a judgment against him, Ms Giuffre’s lawyers could try to enforce it in the UK at the High Court.
Mr Keith said: “If you win a US civil case and the defendant owes you say £100,000 you can to go to the High Court and say ‘I’ve got a US judgment I want to enforce it’.
“You can’t rerun the whole proceedings that happened in the US, it’s not quite a rubber stamp, there are some ways of resisting it.”
To read the article in full on i News click here.
Ben Keith is a leading specialist in Extradition and International Crime, as well as dealing with Immigration, Serious Fraud, and Public law. He has extensive experience of appellate proceedings before the Administrative and Divisional Courts, Criminal and Civil Court of Appeal as well as applications and appeals to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and United Nations. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 for Extradition and International Crime.
