Holocaust denier’s extradition hearing delayed

Vincent Reynouard, 54, is wanted by French authorities following his arrest in Scotland.

Vincent Reynouard appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court by video-link (PA) (PA Wire)

A preliminary extradition hearing for a Holocaust denier wanted by authorities in France has been delayed for a further four weeks.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the delay will allow videos Vincent Reynouard is alleged to have made to be translated into English, as well as work out what offences, if any, he has committed under Scots law.

Reynouard, 54, was convicted under anti-Nazi laws across the Channel. He was handed a four-month jail term in November 2020 and a further six months in January 2021.

He appeared before Sheriff Frank Crowe on Thursday by video-link from HMP Edinburgh.

He does not consent to his extradition back to France.

We cannot definitively say whether we are dealing with Scottish offending here

Paul Dunne, solicitor for Reynouard

His lawyer Paul Dunne asked the court if the preliminary hearing in his extradition case could be moved to May 18 as one of two YouTube videos Reynouard is alleged to have made has not yet been translated from French into English.

One of the transcripts was made available on Thursday morning, prior to the hearing.

Mr Dunne also said Holocaust denial is not an offence in Scotland.

He told the court: “We cannot definitively say whether we are dealing with Scottish offending here.”

Holocaust denial has been a criminal offence in France since 1990, and Reynouard has been convicted on numerous occasions.

Reynouard fled to Scotland following his latest conviction for a series of antisemitic Facebook posts.

A further preliminary hearing has been set in Edinburgh for May 18 before a full extradition hearing on June 8.