Lauryn Hulston
A British fugitive has lost his fight against being extradited from Spain and will return to the UK.
After seven years on the run David Ungi – wanted for a gang-related murder – was arrested in May when he entered a gym in the town of Coin in Malaga.
His whereabouts were exposed by the Mirror, leading to the 30-year-old’s arrest.
Ungi challenged a ruling regarding his extradition, but appeal judges in Madrid decided to proceed with their plans and approved his forced return to his home country.
The fugitive had been hiding out in Spain since 2015 and was residing with three other English men in a home that was being rented for £800 per month.
He is expected to face trial for drug-trafficking charges. However, it is still unclear whether he will face charges for the 2015 murder of 18-year-old Vinny Waddington in Garston, Liverpool.
The other two implicated men, Luke Kendrick and Ryan Bate were given life sentences for the murder of Waddington after he was forced off the motorbike he was riding and shot from the vehicle the three suspects were in.
Ungi allegedly emigrated and stayed under the radar due to his connection with the supplying of heroin.
After his May 6 arrest, it became public knowledge that a court in the UK was attempting to extradite him only on drug charges, even though Interpol issued a red notice some years prior stating that he should also be arrested for murder.
The defence lawyer representing Ungi argued against Spain’s Audiencia Nacional court, stating that they should reject Britain’s extradition request based on the unclear facts as to what crime he was wanted for.
As seen by the Mirror, the judges ruled: ‘The person being sought cannot be prosecuted in the country requesting his extradition for any other previously committed crime which is different to the object of this claim, unless that country expressly requests the extension of that surrender.’ And according to a court official in Madrid, it was confirmed that: ‘The extradition is scheduled to take place in the next few days.’
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