A 70-YEAR-OLD MAN who was arrested on Thursday in Co Tyrone on an Irish extradition warrant has been granted bail.

The man, with a home address in Tyrone, was arrested on Thursday evening after voluntarily attending a local police station.

The PSNI said he is wanted to stand trial for offences including rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, which occurred in Galway in 2022.

The 70-year-old appeared today before Laganside Extradition Court in Belfast and spoke only to confirm his name.

His defence barrister Sean Devine told the court that his client had been asked to attend the police station to “discuss a matter”.

“I’m not sure he was told exactly what it was, but in any event, he did turn up voluntarily,” added Devine.

The court heard that the warrant for his arrest was issued by the Irish High Court on 4 August and certified by the National Crime Agency in Belfast on 8 September.

Devine said his client does not consent to extradition, though Devine added that it is “accepted that the offences contained within the warrant are, on the face of it, extraditable”.

Stephen Ritchie, representing authorities from the Republic of Ireland, said he was prepared to consent to bail but on certain conditions, including a cash surety of £5,000 (€6,000).

He also asked that the 70-year-old reside at his home address in Co Tyrone, wear an electronic tag with a curfew from 11pm to 7am, and report three times a week to a police station in Co Tyrone.

Ritchie said he was seeking “what may appear stringent conditions because these are very serious offences which he is charged”.

Ritchie also noted that the warrant issued by the High Court stated that the defendant had already been questioned by gardaí and denied the allegations.

However, while he initially “engaged” with gardaí, the defendant then “ceased all communications and would not answer their calls”.

Therefore, Ritchie said there was a “concern” that the man could be a flight risk.

He added that bail conditions would “adequately meet those concerns”.

The defence barrister asked the court to “tweak” the bail conditions and said it “seems unnecessary” that he should have to report to police three times a week, in addition to wearing an electronic tag.

Devine also outlined some of his client’s health issues and asked if the number of times he has to report to police could be reduced to once per week.

Judge Laura Ievers said she would keep to the bail conditions as outlined by Ritchie but noted the defendant’s “medical difficulties” and said she doesn’t “rule out the possibility of varying those terms” in the coming weeks.

The case will be reviewed again on 9 October and the defendant is not required to attend this hearing.

An application for legal aid was also granted and the judge “noted that consent is not forthcoming to extradition”.