A Holocaust denier who has been on the run from French authorities doesn't consent to be extradited to France, a courtroom has heard. Vincent Reynouard, 53, was arrested in Anstruther, Fife, final month and has been in custody since then.
The Frenchman was convicted underneath anti-Nazi legal guidelines throughout the Channel, the place he was given a four-month jail time period in November 2020 and an additional six months in January 2021. A preliminary listening to in his extradition case occurred at Edinburgh Sheriff Courtroom on Thursday, which he was excused from attending.
His lawyer, who didn't want to be named, requested for the matter to be continued to an additional listening to subsequent month to provide him extra time to arrange as he has simply been appointed to the case. He mentioned: "Mr Reynouard doesn't consent to extradition to France.
"I used to be instructed at about 6pm final night time and I do require a while to think about the matter. There's a matter that's, I believe, of authorized significance that I want extra time to think about."
Holocaust denial has been a prison offence in France since 1990, and Reynouard has been convicted on quite a few events. His newest conviction was in relation to a collection of antisemitic posts on social media.
Reynouard first appeared on the courtroom after his arrest final month. Throughout that listening to on November 17, which he listened to by way of video hyperlink from HMP Edinburgh, his lawyer advised the courtroom that his consumer wished to instruct one other lawyer.
Sheriff Norman McFadyen agreed to proceed the case till January 12, with a full extradition listening to as a result of happen in February. Reynouard stays remanded in custody.
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