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Camden New Journal - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 26 July 2007

Support grows for student on trial in Spain

THE sister of the Camden Town student sent to Spain over counterfeit cash charges has spoken of her despair about extradition laws.
Last Wednesday Joe Mendy, 21, left his Leybourne Street home to stand trial in Spain.
It is alleged that he knowingly handled little more than £100 while on holiday in the Canary Islands four years ago.
Mr Mendy’s appeal for bail was turned down by the Spanish judge on Thursday because of fears he posed a ‘flight risk’.
Mr Mendy could be facing more than a year in jail if a second appeal, lodged on Friday, is also rejected.
He was accompanied on his flight to Madrid by his sister Clara Mendy, although the siblings were separated and Ms Mendy has not spoken to her brother since she handed him over to police at the airport. “I’m losing all belief in the whole system,” she said.
Mr Mendy has also gained the support of the Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson, who has written a letter to Foreign Secretary David Milliband MP, calling on him to ensure Mr Mendy gets bail.
Mr Dobson is also applying pressure on Mr Milliband over the UK’s extradition laws, which allow suspects accused of minor misdemeanours to be sent abroad.
He wants the UK to adopt clauses – as other European countries have – that would extradite only those wanted for serious crimes.

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