Cousins from Essex who were extradited by the Cyprus government after being involved in a fatal car accident that killed a Cypriot youth have been transferred to jail in Nicosia.

Michael Binnington, 23, and his 24-year-old cousin, Luke Atkinson – both from Witham – were rear seat passengers in a car driven by their uncle Julian Harrington when it hit a moped, killing the pillion passenger, 17-year-old Christos Papiris.

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

In February 2007, a Cypriot court acquitted Binnington and Atkinson of being involved in the crash – it had been alleged they had encouraged their uncle to pursue the youth who died, following an argument. However, the acquittal was overturned by the higher court in January 2008, after Binnington and Atkinson returned to the UK. They were each sentenced in their absence to three years in jail by the Supreme Court of Cyprus.

Last week, they lost their appeal at the High Court in London to avoid being extradited back to Cyprus. They are expected to spend six months in jail in Nicosia before there is any chance of them returning to the UK, said their legal representative – who also expressed surprise that the Supreme Court in Britain had decided ‘not to get involved’ in the case and had turned down their applications for a further appeal.

The British High Commission is due to visit both men on Wednesday (02/12/09) and their families are expected to fly out to Cyprus to visit them soon, their solicitor said.

‘I just hope their safety is looked after because there was a lot of widespread local anger about this case,’ she added.

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