Key Facts
- •Veronica Grigorie (Appellant) appeals extradition to Romania on Article 8 ECHR grounds (respect for private and family life).
- •Appellant is wanted for fraud offenses committed between December 2013 and May 2014, resulting in a 4-year 4-month sentence in Romania.
- •Appellant has two young children, aged 7 and 3, who are British citizens.
- •Appellant's partner, Marius Nicolescu (Father), is the children's father. His whereabouts are unknown and he has a previous conviction for rape of a minor.
- •Appellant's 75-year-old mother (Grandmother) lives with them and requires significant care.
- •New evidence reveals the Father's disappearance and the serious risk of children entering care if the mother is extradited.
Legal Principles
Proportionality of extradition with Article 8 ECHR rights, especially concerning children.
Various case laws cited, including *HH v Italy*, *A v Hungary*, *A v Germany*, *Parlinska v Poland*, *M v Poland*, *Prisacariu v Romania*, and *Stumbre v Lithuania*.
High Court's power to evaluate extradition afresh considering fresh evidence and changed circumstances.
*Deb v Greece*, *Josza v Hungary*, *Haczelski v Poland*
Lord Judge's Question: Would domestic courts impose an immediate custodial sentence given similar facts, considering children's interests?
*HH v Italy*
Outcomes
Appeal dismissed; extradition is proportionate.
While the impact on the children and grandmother is significant, the seriousness of the Appellant's crimes, lack of fugitivity, and previous offending outweigh Article 8 concerns. The court found the father's disappearance was not staged to manipulate the appeal, but his unsuitability as a sole carer, coupled with the Appellant's conviction for serious fraud, tipped the scales towards extradition.