PROSECUTORS made a "comical series of blunders" in their attempts to extradite a Mafia fugitive who lived in the UK for two decades, a court heard.
Domenico Rancadore, known as The Professor, avoided extradition in March after a judge decided Italian prison conditions would breach his human rights because he has a serious heart condition.
The 65-year-old was was re-arrested in April and is again fighting extradition to his home country to serve a seven-year sentence for association with the Cosa Nostra.
Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a fresh extradition hearing before Senior District Judge Howard Riddle, his lawyers said that bringing the same case against him twice was an abuse of process.
Representing Rancadore, Alun Jones QC also described his client's second arrest, which took place at 9pm on a Friday night, as "utterly, utterly unnecessary".
John Hardy QC, representing the Italian authorities, told the court that the CPS had made a "comical series of blunders" in relation to the Sicilian's extradition but argued that they do not amount to an abuse of process and should not stop the extradition going ahead.
The mistakes included serving legal papers late to Rancadore's lawyers ahead of an appeal at the High Court and failing to inform counsel that a new assurance had been given by the Italian authorities regarding the prison he would be sent to if extradited.
"It is unfortunate that due to human error the process has not flowed as smoothly as it should have, but we say that to say that there has been an abuse of process is a quantum leap too far," Mr Hardy said. Rancadore spent two decades living under the name of Marc Skinner with his family in Uxbridge, west London, before he was first arrested in August last year.
Judge Riddle told Rancadore that he was bailing him to appear for another short hearing on October 21, when the court is expected to hear from an expert for the defence on prison conditions in Italy.
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