Cyprus death crash two extradited

Michael Binnington, left, and Luke Atkinson

Binnington and Atkinson reported to police ahead of their extradition

Two cousins from Essex who were in a car which hit and killed a teenager in Cyprus have been transferred to a Cypriot prison after being extradited.

Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson from Witham were taken to Heathrow Airport and flown to Cyprus where they will begin jail terms for manslaughter.

Last week they lost their High Court bid to avoid extradition to the island.

The men were in a car driven by Julian Harrington when it hit a moped, killing pillion passenger Christos Papiris, 17.

Karen Todner, the cousin's lawyer, said they faced a minimum of six months in Nicosia before they could be brought back.

She said: "I just hope their safety is looked after because there was a lot of widespread local anger about this case."

'Surprised by decision'

Earlier the men attended Belgravia police station in central London where they shared a tearful farewell with members of their family before being taken to Heathrow Airport where they were handed over to Cypriot authorities.

Ms Todner said: "I am surprised by the decision of the Supreme Court in this country not to get involved with this case.

"The only thing we can do is get them repatriated to this country as soon as possible.

"I imagine the family will try to go over there to visit and I have arranged for the British High Commission to visit them tomorrow."

Harrington, also from Witham, is serving a 15-year jail sentence after admitting manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm in the crash in Protaras in 2006.

Binnington, 23, and Atkinson, 24, were initially acquitted by a Cypriot court in February 2007, but that verdict was overturned by the higher court in January 2008 after they had returned to the UK.

They were then sentenced in their absence by the Supreme Court of Cyprus to three years' jail each.

In June, they lost their UK court fight against extradition and recently the UK Supreme Court turned down their applications for another appeal.