Botley woman to be extradited on kidnap charges (From Oxford Mail)

Botley woman to be extradited on kidnap charges

1:59pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Rhianne Pope

A MUM-of-three from Botley will be extradited to the USA to face charges of kidnap, the High Court has ruled today.

Eileen Clark, 54, fled to Oxford with her children after her divorce in America in 1998.

She was arrested at home in July 2010 and was fighting extradition back to the USA, but has now lost the battle.

Lawyers for Mrs Clark had argued it would be “oppressive” to extradite her because of worsening psychiatric problems and fear of flying.

They also argued the US authorities were at fault for not seeking her return earlier, as she had been living in the UK since 1998 and had put down “deep roots”.

But rejecting her appeal, Mr Justice Underhill questioned whether she had been living as openly as she claimed.

He said: “She did not tell the US authorities where she was, or indeed - for a while - her own parents.”

Mrs Clark must now face charges of “international parental kidnapping”.

Lawyers have 14 days in which to consider whether to take her case to the Supreme Court.