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A Sudanese man, Adam Saby, wanted in the UK for alleged rape and sexual assault, is to be surrendered after the High Court dismissed objections based on prison-condition fears and mental-health concerns.Â
Mr Justice Sean Gillane delivered the ruling on 15 July 2026, following an application under the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003. The UK warrant was issued on 2 April 2026 by a circuit judge at Harrow Crown Court after the man allegedly breached his bail conditions. He was arrested in Ireland on 13 April and confirmed as the person named in the warrant.Â
The UK authorities seek him for two offences said to have occurred on 2 September 2022. Both carry significant penalties, including a maximum life sentence for rape. The judge noted that the UK had already formed an intention to prosecute.Â
The respondent, a 20-year-old Sudanese refugee, opposed surrender. His lawyers argued he would likely be held in either Wormwood Scrubs or Pentonville and face inhuman or degrading treatment contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. They relied on older reports highlighting segregation, prolonged lock-up, overcrowding and poor conditions.Â
However, the court found major gaps in the evidence. No affidavit was filed. No medical or psychiatric reports were produced. Assertions of suicidal ideation and vulnerability were unsupported. The judge also noted that the criticisms of prison conditions relied heavily on outdated material, while more recent CPT reports documented improvements in facilities, healthcare access, cell conditions, and oversight.Â
Gillane pointed to recent case law, including the CJEU’s Alchaster decision and Irish rulings such as Dumitri, which require updated, specific and reliable evidence showing a real risk of rights breaches. He found none. The UK’s longstanding compliance with human-rights standards, along with its published responses detailing investment, mental-health supports and refurbishment works, weighed against the objection.Â
The judge concluded that no real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment had been established. He also confirmed the warrant met all statutory requirements and that no other bar to surrender applied.Â
An order will now issue for the man’s extradition to the UK authorities.Â
Pat Coyne
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