HUMAN RIGHTS FARCE: Criminals CAN'T be sent back as jail cells in Romania are TOO SMALL
ROMANIAN criminals in the UK have been told they will not be extradited - because smaller jail cells at home would breach their human rights.
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rules broken over cell size, judges say
Two offenders will now remain in the UK after judges said the smaller cells contravene rulings from the European Court of Human Rights.
Prisoners, according to the ruling, should have ‘personal space’ amounting to around three metres squared.
In Romania, inmates are made to live in cells around two metres squared.
The High Court in London stated there must be a guarantee of cell size before extradition.
British taxpayers will also foot the bill for legal aid and court costs while
London's High Court: Judges ruled Romanians should not be sent back for prison
Ionel-Remus Grecu and Cosmin-Ionut Bagarea will now be sent to semi-open prisons.
In the prisons the men will enjoy unlocked areas for walking and smoking zones.
Grecu, 42, landed himself in UK courts after fleeing his home nation because he was wanted for violent burglary offences.
Once on UK soil he launched an appeal against an extradition order.
Bagarea, 39, is wanted for breaking conditions placed upon him after he was caught growing cannabis.
In Romania was given a suspended sentence but broke the terms.
It was argued by the pair’s lawyers their cell size in Romania would breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Lord Justice Irwin said the extradition process had be put on hold to give the Romanian authorities a chance to guarantee three metres squared for the men.
He also sad the delay was “highly undesirable”.
George Munteanu, Bagarea’s half-brother, said he was given legal aid to fight extradition.
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Mr Munteanu told the Daily Mail Bagarea was now a philosophy graduate and had landed a job.
He said: “Living in the UK has put him on the right path and changed his life.
“He has a job at Southampton port handling people’s luggage.
“I think he has got legal aid. I don’t have money to help him and it is quite expensive. He came to the UK about three years ago and he likes it here. He has made a fresh start. I am sure he won’t want to go back to Romania.”