Convicted killer to stay in the North

Dec 20 2009 Sunday Sun

AN ALBANIAN dad facing murder charges in his home country has won the right to stay in the North.

An international manhunt was launched after Sokol Sinani fled his native Albania following a gun-slaying in a local graveyard, in 1996.

And the Sunday Sun revealed earlier this year that the 37-year-old, who had been on the run for 15-years, had been living freely with his family, in Gateshead, under an alias, for the last five years.

During that time he was on Interpol’s most-wanted list and his photo circulated among European police, but the authorities finally tracked him down in October and officers from the Metropolitan Police turned-up at Cypress Grove, in Ryton, and arrested the fugitive.

A 37-year-old woman, who lives on the street described the moment police arrived to take him away.

“The car that came was a big black Ford, like something undercover cops would use. It’s really quiet around here and, as it’s a cul-de-sac, it’s normally only residents’ cars that you see, so we noticed it coming round every so often,” she said.

“There were about seven men in the car, one of them had a big manilla file with lots of documents in it.”

Sinani was taken to London and police in Albania tried to get him extradited to his home land where he faced a 20-year-jail sentence,

But an extradition hearing was adjourned and Sinani was released on bail and returned to Ryton with his family.

But at a hearing in London this week magistrates discharged the case and told Sinani he was free.

A spokeswoman for Westminster Magistrates Court said: “Sokol Sinani has been discharged so his case is finished.”

The court would not comment further on the reason why his case was dismissed but the Sunday Sun understands police have DNA evidence which no longer links him to the case.

A delighted Sinani hugged his barrister when he heard he would be able to stay in the UK. He became one of Europe’s most wanted men when he fled Albania. Interpol circulated his details saying he was wanted for “Crimes against life and health and crimes involving the use of weapons and explosives.”