Former fire fighter Garry Mann, the British citizen who is serving a two year prison sentence for his part in a riot in Albufeira during the Euro 2004 football championships, has been transferred to a British prison to complete the remainder of his sentence.
Garry Mann, who has been serving his sentence for more than a year in a Portuguese prison since he voluntarily extradited himself on May 12, 2010, was moved to a UK prison on May 19.
A spokesman from the human rights organisation Fair Trials International confirmed the move from Portugal to the UK, a move which had been originally agreed between the British and Portuguese authorities in February (see the Algarve Resident, edition February 25).
It had initially been hoped that Garry Mann would be back in the UK before Christmas 2010 and Fair Trials International have been working with Garry Mann and his family to complete the transfer since he began his sentence.
Jago Russell, the chief executive of Fair Trials International, said: “We are relieved that Garry will now be able to serve the remainder of his sentence back in the UK, closer to his family, but this falls short of justice.
“We will continue to campaign for reform of the extradition laws that have put him and his family through hell.”
No member of the Mann family was available for comment following the move, with the spokesman for Fair Trials International stating that it is a “difficult time for them”.
Daisy Sampson
