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Home Page > News > Pedophile Shawn Sullivan spared extradition to the US on human rights grounds

Pedophile Shawn Sullivan spared extradition to the US on human rights grounds

Judge rules that possibility of life in prison for the pedophile is in breach of his human rights

KERRY O’SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, June 29, 2012, 8:08 AM

Updated Friday, June 29, 2012, 10:54 AM

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Shawn Sullivan photographed in London

Photo by The Sun

The judges believed that placing Sullivan in the Minnesota treatment program, which has yet to release a person from its services since its inception, would be in denial of his human rights.

In a judgment published last week, the UK High Court judges said there was a real risk he would be put on the program in Minnesota, and that it would breach his right not to suffer loss of liberty without due process as protected by the European Court of Human Rights.

"It is clear to me that were an order of civil commitment to be made, it would be a flagrant denial of this appellant's rights under Art. 5.1," Lord Justice Moses said.

In a note released on Thursday, Lord Justice Moses announced that “the United States will not provide an assurance” and so the appeal under the 2003 Extradition Act was allowed.

“The appellant will be discharged from the proceedings,” the judge said.

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Bythebay | Jul 02, 2012, 11:54 AM EDT

connemaragirl, the United Kingdom, not Ireland, refused to return him to the US where he's wanted. He's not wanted in Ireland. Ireland doesn't work for the US. If he was a fugitive in the US, the US dropped the ball letting him leave. None of it has anything to do with Ireland whatsoever.

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Bythebay | Jul 02, 2012, 11:52 AM EDT

pat1505, if he was a fugitive in the US they shouldn't have let him leave. It's the US fault.

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Bythebay | Jul 02, 2012, 11:49 AM EDT

alissann, YOU DON'T KNOW THE DETAIL ABOUT THE CASE AND CAN'T MAKE A JUDGEMENT ABOUT IT. You weren't in court and haven't seen the court records. You can go to England to do that.

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Bythebay | Jul 02, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT

eiriamach, check the court records.

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eiriamach | Jul 02, 2012, 07:55 AM EDT

WHY did an Irish court suspend his sentence for two assaults on girls in 1997? Who answers for the dangerous action of releasing a repeat sex offender? Will this pedophile ever do time in prison for any of his assaults on children, or do the British and Irish governments think that the way to oppose a harsh American law is to give sexual predators full freedom to rape again in their countries? Are children pawns in a political game?

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alisaann | Jul 02, 2012, 01:41 AM EDT

what about the RIGHTS of HIS VICTIMS?????????....this guy DESERVES "LIFE" for what he did.....the court made the WRONG decision. alisa

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timbobdennehy | Jun 30, 2012, 09:50 PM EDT

i thought customs check out who you are before letting you travel to a country,how did he manage to leave america in a plane,since he was wanted,was he not redlisted.

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timbobdennehy | Jun 30, 2012, 09:46 PM EDT

i thought customs checked out on who you are,well they do on entering the usa,i would of imagined it would of been the same if you landed in shannon,and as far as his human rights are concerned with life behind bars,how about if we chopped his balls off,i think those irish girls are due their pound of flesh,like in the merchant of venice.

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pat1505 | Jun 30, 2012, 04:32 PM EDT

Well said connemaragirl

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connemaragirl | Jun 30, 2012, 02:53 PM EDT

I'm confused ,who gave this guy his walking papers Ireland or the UK??, are they all gone mad ?,How ugly or desperate is this Minister for Justice that she couldn't get a man with no criminal background ?,He was wanted by the US before he commited any crime in Ireland send the SOB back yesterday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!let him face the music .HUMAN RIGHTS MY ARSE.

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pat1505 | Jun 30, 2012, 01:44 AM EDT

Nedwardatlarge: I did read the article and here is the quote that set me off "When charges were filed against him for his crimes in the US, he fled to Ireland, where he holds dual citizenship. There, he assaulted two more young Irish girls, leading to his suspended sentence in 1997." Wow Ireland let him go after he assaulted two young girls, did the Irish even check as to why he was in Ireland in the first place? He was a fugitive from justice in the US. Irish officials could have held him until they contacted US officials. Nedwardatlarge try a course in reading for secondary content it might open your eyes to a whole new world. Donegal6 if Ireland gives a suspended sentence for assaulting two young girls perhaps it is Ireland that is a haven for pedophiles.

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Donegal6 | Jun 29, 2012, 11:36 PM EDT

I can imagine some parents taking this miscreant out if they find him. Sound like pedophile heaven in England, are all the priests over there? LOL

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irishcan73 | Jun 29, 2012, 08:35 PM EDT

human rights that's a good one, what about the human rights he had no respect for, send him back to where he will be punished on a daily basis shame on uk courts

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Bythebay | Jun 29, 2012, 02:10 PM EDT

Maggie47, this occurred in the UNITED KINGDOM not Ireland. Ireland has no jurisdiction over the United Kingdom. It's not Ireland's place to interfere with a decision in the United Kingdom. The US wants him, it's the US's responsibility. This has no connection to Ireland.

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Maggie47 | Jun 29, 2012, 12:39 PM EDT

Nedwardatlarge, sorry I did reread the article, my mistake. He has irish citizenship,Ireland should step in and have his butt sent back to the states.

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