The High Court has adjourned extradition proceedings against two convicted murderers until November 18th. Anthony Craig, aged 66, was convicted of murder in Blackburn in 1973 and escaped from an English prison before coming to Ireland, where he subsequently lived in Cork and Leitrim. Michael Anthony Balmer, aged 62, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for a killing in Devon. In July, Mr Justice John Edwards indicated he would surrender both men to UK authorities. However, their legal representatives sought to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing the cases raise questions of exceptional public importance concerning constitutional protections against preventative detention. Mr Justice Edwards has now agreed to refer both matters to the Supreme Court on a single reformulated question relating to whether surrender would breach constitutional safeguards under Article 40.4. The cases remain adjourned pending preparation of the approved judgment, following which notice of appeal may be served.
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