71-year-old woman to be extradited on charge of assisting in rape of her daughter

A 71-year-old UK citizen with an address in County Roscommon has been ordered to be surrendered to British authorities to face charges of assisting in the rape of her daughter approximately 40 years ago. The High Court heard the woman is accused of indecent assault and joint rape with her then husband at addresses in West Sussex and Devon in the late 1970s, when the complainant was between 10 and 15 years old. The offences were first reported in 2013. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly ordered the woman's surrender following a European Arrest Warrant issued last March, rejecting arguments based on the age of the alleged offences and the defendant's significant health conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and extreme obesity. The judge found insufficient medical evidence supporting claims of unfitness to be tried or imprisoned. However, surrender was postponed on humanitarian grounds to allow the woman to gather medical records and attend appointments. She was remanded on continuing bail to return before the High Court on 2 October.